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OUR FUTURE LIFE, 

AS IT IS REVEALED 

IN THE BIBLE 

AND BY THE 

NATURAL SCIENCES; 

GIVING 

POSITIVE PROOFS 

OF A RESURRECTION; 

ALSO 

ANSWERS TO DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT ARISE 
IN BIBLE CLASSES. 

A SERIES OF SEVEN SEEMONS. 
Third Edition — Revised. 



BY 

DANIEL KNODE WINDER, 



DETROIT, MICH. 

1897. 

PBICE 25 CE1TTS. 






K 



Copyright, 1897, by D. K. Winder. 



Sunday School Teachers find this Manual an indispensable 
Companion — securing help from answers to hard questions 
relating to the following subjects, which are included in the 
construction of the Discourses. 



^ 



First Discourse Natural resurrection. 

The earth's destiny. 
Temporary stars. 



The "lake of fire. 



ii 



\ 



Second Discourse The "sin unto death." 

Nature's testimony. 

Third Discourse Modes of Interpreting the Bible. 

Jonah and the whale. 

Fourth Discourse The serpent in Eden. 

Joshua commanding the sun. 
God's goodness in our suffering. 

Fifth Discourse The divinity of Jesus. 

The personality of God. 
Ethereal bodies substantial. 
What became of our Savior's body. 

Sixth Discourse The Rock of Ages. 

Thorns and thistles. 
The spiritual menu. 

Seventh Discourse ...The "white stone." 
Spirit mediums. 
The witch of Bndor. 
The heavenly city. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Facts regarding life and death may be collected 
from two well known and distinct realms of exist- 
ence, which are known as matter and ether. We 
cannot tell what matter is, nor are we able to tell 
what ether is; but we are able to describe a body- 
that is composed of matter, and we can explain 
the character of ethereal phenomena as observed 
in heat, light, electricity and actinism. 

Conclusive reasoning concerning the reality of 
our future resurrection, requires the use of a the- 
ory which is an irresistible deduction from scien- 
tific investigation of the nature of many known 
facts connected with life. It was by the aid of 
a scientific theory that Leverrier, the astronomer, 
was enabled to discover the unseen planet Nep- 
tune, which is 2,850,000,000 miles from us, and 
never before had been seen, even by the aid of the 
most powerful telescope. 

We may accept the scientific theory, and be led 
to an understanding of the relation of material to 
spiritual existence; or we may reject the scientific 
theory, and remain unable to comprehend the 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

mysteries that are connected with life, death, and 
our future living conscious existence. 

In our efforts to obtain correct answers to ques- 
tions which relate to spiritual life, it is necessary 
to have a definite idea of the two-fold character of 
the human mind. You have a natural mind, and 
you have a spiritual mind. Your natural mind 
has the faculty of natural perception and power to 
control your material body — which activities are 
innate or acquired, and appertain to your mate- 
rial body. Your spiritual mind has the faculty of 
spiritual perception and power to control your 
ethereal body — which activities are innate or ac- 
quired, and appertain to your ethereal body. The 
activities of your natural mind will cease at the 
death of your material body. Your spiritual body 
may live forever, and therefore, your spiritual 
mind may continue in activity forever. 

Your spirit is not your life. Your ethereal atom 
of life is an eternal and changeless existence. 
When it shall have completed its work of devel- 
oping your body and spirit, and shall have sus- 
tained vitality in your organization until that vi- 
tality is established, it will retire, and remain free 
in the ethereal world, in possession of your indi- 
vidual primitive discerning and controlling 
power; and it will so remain, until in the next cy- 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

cle of the earth's history it will repeat its organiz- 
ing work in your resurrection. 

In acquiring a knowledge of language we begin 
with letters and syllables, and afterward, we are 
able to use the words that convey intelligence. 
In the same way you may study that which is spir- 
itual — beginning with elements that are easy to 
identify, later you may study the activities of ethe- 
real forms of greater brilliancy. First you may 
study heat and magnetism; afterward, you may 
analyze light, as it is seen in its beautiful color 
vibrations and undulations. And having become 
familiar with these lower ethereal forms, you will 
be prepared to study the highest manifestation of 
ethereal existence, which is spiritual. And then as 
you add to your spiritual experience and knowl- 
edge of ethereal laws and phenomena, your capac- 
ity for spiritual perception will increase; and you 
will be able to penetrate the veil that is in your 
own constitution, and enjoy real and satisfactory 
communion with the heavenly world. 

Some persons possess spiritual capacities, and 
ability to perceive ethereal and religious realities. 
They worship God, and enjoy Christian spiritual 
communion with heaven. There are others who 
possess no perceptible spiritual faculties. They 
have active minds, and may be well educated in 
mathematics, history, and natural sciences, but 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

their spiritual capacities have not been developed. 
Such persons exhibit no faculties for spiritual per- 
ception and the enjoyment of heavenly exper- 
ience. Human spiritual capacities are of such a 
character that they can proceed only from a de- 
veloped organization which is ethereal. Spiritual 
capacities may be developed in a human being, 
but they are not exhibited by any individual of 
any other genus of species in the living world. 

It is true that hope for earthly happiness and 
love for worldly life are born of a material organ- 
ization ; but it is not true that spiritual aspirations 
for heavenly life are born of hope which is expe- 
rienced by the mind of a material organization. 
That sceptical statement with regard to our fu- 
ture life certainly is a fallacy. It is true that do- 
mesticated animals exhibit hope and love for life ; 
1>ut it also is true that they do not manifest any 
spiritual capacities or attainments. 

Our Heavenly Father rules nature by its laws. 
Sometimes he controls them for the purpose of 
accomplishing his plans, but he never breaks 
them. He authorized the writing of the Bible; 
and it was so written that it should be a guide for 
mankind, and within reach of human reason, to 
each one of us according to our education, ex- 
perience and spiritual development. The teaching 
of the Bible agrees with the natural sciences when 



INTRODUCTION. 9 

both are correctly interpreted; and enduring ob- 
scurity remains only when the infinite themes lead 
out beyond the limit of human capacities, as they 
may be developed in our present life. 

Through the evidences which are contained in 
this manual, Christians may find a natural means 
of strengthening their faith and increasing their 
hope and comfort. And these views of the great 
question are offered to skeptics, in order to re- 
move difficulties which may have kept them from 
believing in a future life, and from accepting 
Christ and the enjoyment of a hope of heaven. 

It is a source of pleasure to find that although 
these sermons contain many things which are not 
found in any of the commonly accepted views of 
our future life, there is nothing in the proofs or in 
the logical deductions which may be drawn from 
them, that is opposed to evangelical doctrines. 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

Acts xxvi. 8. "Why should it be thought a 
thing incredible with you, that God should raise 
the dead?" 

This question was addressed to unbelievers 
who lived at the time when the apostle Paul 
wrote; but there are many skeptical persons in 
our day, from whom it demands an answer. 

On account of idiosyncrasies that exist in hu- 
man minds, the proofs which convince one per- 
son are unsatisfactory to another. There are per- 
sons who require no other evdience than their 
own consciousness or a promise found in the 
Bible, to fully satisfy themselves of their spiritual 
existence, and of a future resurrection. But all do 
not have a knowledge of the history of the sacred 
writings, nor do all persons have spiritual experi- 
ence on which they can build their faith. And in 
the absence of these privileges, people may be 
convinced that there is a future life, only by facts 
from nature, correct reasoning, and a natural in- 
terpretation of the Scriptures. The question of a 
future resurrection is one which embraces so 



12 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

much that perfect satisfaction can be secured 
only through diligent study, even by thoughtful 
unbelievers who really are seeking for proofs. 

In order to secure a scientific, scriptural and 
sure foundation for our faith in a future resur- 
rection from the dead, we must make use of a 
theory of immortality that agrees with and ex- 
plains the known facts which relate to the birth 
and death of living beings. The theory must be 
in harmony with the natural sciences as they are 
taught in our schools and colleges, and it must 
agree with the teaching of the Bible. We are 
glad to know that it is our privilege to be in 
possession of a view that meets all these require- 
ments. The view is as follows: 

The universe consists of atoms of two primary 
elements, which are known as ether and ponder- 
able matter. All atoms, ethereal and material, in 
their existence individually are eternal. Creation 
does not mean that in the beginning the elements 
were made out of nothing ; but it means that the 
objects created were formed out of atoms which 
then existed. 

Life is not a property of matter. All atoms of 
matter are inanimate; and there also are atoms 
of ether that are inanimate ; but all atoms of ether 
are not inanimate. There are as many living 
atoms of ether as there are vegetable, animal and 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. IS 

human bodies which live in the world during an 
entire cycle of the earth's existence. Each and 
every atom of inanimate ether, matter, and eth- 
ereal living individuality or life, has always ex- 
isted, and will continue in changeless existence 
forever. There is the human living ethereal atom, 
which organizes its own material body out of 
atoms of ponderable matter, and which also or- 
ganizes its own spiritual body out of inanimate 
atoms of ether. Your material body must die; 
but your ethereal body may receive nutriment, 
grow to maturity, and live forever in the spiritual 
world. There is the living ethereal atom which 
organizes its own individual vegetable body, and 
there is the living ethereal atom which organizes 
its own individual animal body. Every plant and 
animal, under God's direction is brought into 
being by its own atom of individual life. 

The characters that distinguish mankind from 
animals, are seen in the spiritual and divine aspir- 
ations, utterances, expectations and attainments 
of a human spirit. None of these are manifested 
by animals. You have a spirit nature; and 
your future existence includes both the continued 
life of your spiritual body after death, and your 
earthly resurrection — not during the present cycle 
of the earth's existence, but in the re-created 



14 NATURAL RESUKRECTION. 

world, in another material body, which will pos- 
sess your own individuality. 

That our earthly bodies will be raised from the 
dead, is proven by the fact that the laws of nature 
are absolutely unchangeable. We. are perfectly 
sure that whatsoever occurs under any peculiar 
conditions, must occur again whenever exactly 
the same conditions return. And therefore, when 
the earth shall be re-created, and the same condi- 
tions that brought into this world your present 
body shall again arise ; you must be brought into 
earthly existence again, in a being who will pos- 
sess all the peculiarities that distinguish your in- 
dividuality from others. 

That such like conditions will arise for every 
living being, is a fact which may be learned from 
a trustworthy source ; that is, it may be learned 
from the earth's history. Creation is an eternal 
process, because God is the Creator. As he never 
had a beginning his work could never have had 
a beginning. The earth itself is eternal ill re- 
peated cycles of its existence. A time will come, 
when the elements of which the world consists 
shall return to their original gaseous state, and a 
re-creation of the earth will begin. In the re- 
peated physical history of the world, all former 
living earthly bodies including yourself, must ap- 
pear again, at their own natural times in that 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. 15 

cycle of the earth's existence, according to the 
law of development, by the operation of unalter- 
able and uniform laws of nature. 

We know that the earth is becoming colder; 
and that a reduction of its temperature will go on 
until the present cycle of the world shall have 
been in existence many millions of years^ 
Through the influence of cold and condensation,, 
the elements in the earth's surface, then shall 
have reached a molecular state that will result 
in sudden disintegration and a conflagration. By 
this process all the elements in a thick stratum of 
the earth's crust, will be returned to their original 
gaseous condition. Then a re-creation of the 
world will commence, and as its re-creation pro- 
ceeds it will repeat the earth's physical history^ 
and all former individual living human, animal 
and vegetable bodies will be created again, at 
their natural times in that cycle of the world's re- 
peated existence. 

These facts are also clearly taught in the Scrip- 
tures. Ps. civ.5. David says, that God "laid the 
foundations of the earth, that it should not be re- 
moved forever.*' Ecclesiastes i.4. Solomon tells 
us, that "the earth abideth forever." 2 Peter 
in. 10, we read, "The heavens shall pass away 
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt 
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works 



16 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

that are therein shall be burned up." And Rev. 
xxi.i, John, the beloved disciple, says, "I saw a 
new heaven and a new earth : for the first heaven 
and the first earth were passed away." Heb. i. 10- 
12, the apostle Paul says, "And thou, Lord, in 
the beginning hast laid the foundation of the 
earth; and the heavens are the works of thine 
hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest; 
and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and 
as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they 
shall be changed." 2 Peter iii.7, we read, 
"But the heavens and the earth which are now, 
by the same word are kept in store, reserved 
unto fire." And again, in the nth, 12th and 13th 
verses, we find the following exhortation: "See- 
ing then that all these things shall be dissolved, 
"what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy 
conversation and godliness, looking for and hast- 
ing unto the coming of the day of God, wherein 
the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and 
the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Never- 
theless' we, according to his promise, look for 
new heavens and a new earth wherein chvelleth 
righteousness." And Rev. xx.n, the apostle 
John reveals the same truth, when he says, "And 
I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on 
it, from 'whose face the earth and the heaven fled 
away, and there was found no place for them." 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. IT 

The correctness of this view, is proven by many- 
astronomical and chemical facts that are taught 
in our colleges and scientific schools. We know 
that during the last three centuries, twenty-five 
stars which are called temporary stars have ap- 
peared in the heavens. Each one of them blazed 
out in splendor for a few weeks, and then gradu- 
ally faded out of sight. And when these blazing 
stars were examined by means of a spectroscope, 
it revealed the wonderful truth that they were 
worlds on fire. 

Additional proofs that such disintegration of 
the terrestrial elements will occur, also are found 
in the laws of chemistry. Chemical laws are 
founded upon observations of phenomena that 
result from various conditions under which ele- 
ments are placed. In our experiments, when 
oxygen and hydrogen gases are mixed and a 
lighted match applied, an explosion follows from 
the sudden union of the gases, which then form 
water. And when gold and mercury are brought 
into contact under ordinary temperatures, there 
occurs an amalgamation of the two metals. But 
in the fiery photosphere of the sun, hydrogen and 
oxygen are found uncombined. Hydrogen is the 
lightest gaseous element, and oxygen is found in 
combination with about one-fifth of the elements 
in our world. And we should remember that 



18 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

long ago the earth was part of the sun. This 
latter fact proves the existence of oxygen in the 
sun. The spectroscope reveals also the presence 
of both gold and mercury in the solar photo- 
sphere; and shows that they are in a state of in- 
tensely heated vapor, in contact, but unamal- 
gamated. These chemical lessons reveal a great 
difference in molecular character that is a result 
of different temperatures. And the fact that the 
earth is approaching an extremely cold condi- 
tion, the opposite of that heated state, which, as 
we have seen, increases the permanence of mole- 
cular relations, and the fact that it is approaching 
a molecular condition like that of dynamite or 
fulminating silver, is proof that the theory of the 
earth's final disintegration through the influence 
of condensation and cold is correct. 

And moreover, we should remember, that it is 
possible for the surface of the earth to be burned 
in the near future, by a similar disintegration of 
the elements of its satellite. There can be no rea- 
sonable doubt as to the fact that at the present 
time, the moon, from its aged condition, is in a 
molecular state approaching that which will bring 
about its own final catastrophe, and its sudden re- 
turn to a gaseous beginning of its own re-crea- 
tion. And because the moon is only 240,000 
miles away from us, the earth certainly will be in- 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. 19 

volved in its fiery transition. From these facts we 
learn that the surface of the earth has not only 
long cycles of recreation, but also a shorter cycle, 
the termination of which will result from the dis- 
integration of the moon, when it reaches a mole- 
cular state that shall cause a return of its ele- 
ments to their original gaseous condition. 

Thus we find in the unchangeable character of 
the laws that govern the universe, in the fact that 
the earth will be re-created, and in corresponding 
statements in the Bible, positive proofs that, in 
the future a time will come when in our material 
bodies we all shall live on earth again. 

Skeptics say that "one person knows no more 
about the reality of our future life than any other 
person knows." Such statements exhibit a want 
of thought. Some persons may know more about 
our future resurrection than others know, because 
they may have collected a greater number of facts 
that are connected with life and death; and they 
may have more education and ability to under- 
stand the infallible logical deductions which re- 
sult from a scientific investigation of the facts. 
Therefore, the skeptical statement referred to is 
incorrect. 

From a careful consideration of tangible phe- 
nomena, we learn that there are two classes of 
natural forces. There is will power, that is innate 



20 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

in ethereal atoms of individual life which always 
have been in existence ; and there is mental power 
that results from the organization of a living ani- 
mal, or a human being. There also are inanimate 
forces. All atoms of both inanimate ether and 
matter are continually vibrating. This vibratory 
motion, which is a property of inanimate atoms, 
is the medium of all chemical changes and atomic 
combinations. Under certain conditions, the vi- 
bratory motion of an atom is subject to influences 
from the vibratory movements of other atoms; 
but the character of the motion of each individual 
atom persistently tends toward a return to the 
peculiar vibratory motion of its own elementary 
kind. Concerning the activities of nature, many 
other lessons may be learned from careful ob- 
servation ; but by accepting the views already ber 
fore us, we are enabled to fully comprehend and 
describe the distinction between matter and the 
various living and inanimate forces which are 
operating in the universe. And the ability to do 
so, is useful to every one who desires to under- 
stand and enjoy positive proofs of a resurrection 
and a spiritual future life. 

The "everlasting fire" of which we read, Matt, 
xxv. 41, and the "lake of fire" that is poken of 
Rev. xx, 10, evidently is the burning world. It is 
a lake of fire that is everlasting at the center of 



NATURAL RESUKBECTION. 21 

the earth. It is there now. And it is a burning 
that is everlasting in the completion of eternal 
cycles in the history of the earth's existence. And 
the Scriptures represent it to be a terrestrial fire 
in which there will be plenty of "brimstone." It 
does so because brimstone is a common earthly 
element. 

Acts xxiv.15, speaking of the re-creation of 
our natural bodies, the Apostle Paul says : 'There 
shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the 
just and the unjust." And Rev. xx, 5, the lan- 
guage of the Apostle John agrees with the teach- 
ing of nature, as to the fact that a resurrection of 
the bodies of the dead will occur at the expira- 
tion of a "thousand years," or long period of time 
after the close of the "first resurrection." The 
word "resurrection," in this passage, is translated 
from the Greek term "anastasis," which refers to 
the resurrection of our spiritual bodies. In the 
New Testament, when a resurrection of the ma- 
terial body is spoken of, the Greek word "egeiro" 
generally is used. For example, Matt, xxvii.53 
and 1 Cor. xvii3. The material body of Jesus cer- 
tainly is referred to in both of these passages. 

Your own individuality and its vitality are 
properties of your own ethereal atom of life— an 
atom which never had a beginning, and which 
will continue in changeless living existence for- 



22 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

ever. The elements of which the earth is made, 
periodically return to their original gaseous and 
heated state; and the world is as often re-created. 
The re-creation of earthy living beings is repeated 
in each cycle of the world's existence. Your own 
atom of life brings into each re-created world an- 
other representative of yourself, in another ma- 
terial body and in another spiritual body. 

In view of this glorious truth, during our earth- 
ly life our chief concern should be to use the 
precious means of grace which our Heavenly 
Father has provided to nurture and develop our 
spiritual bodies — feeding upon the Son of God 
who is the "true bread" from heaven. Trusting 
only in Christ, we should see to it that we are 
living a spiritual life, that we may triumph over 
death; and that we may forever enjoy the heav- 
enly mansions which he has prepared for all who 
love and obey him. 

The "first resurrection" spoken of, Rev. xx., 5, 
evidently is the present ascension of our saved 
and sanctified spirits to heaven, when our bodies 
die. One by one, all those who through Christ 
have been or who shall hereafter be "accounted 
worthy" to obtain that "first resurrection;" who 
shall in common with all earthy beings, enter 
""that world" — the re-created world — when our 



NATURAL RESURRECTION. 23 

times shall come — our own natural times in the 
progress of the world's re-creation. 

We find that an earthly and material resurrec- 
tion of the bodies of all the animal creation in 
common with man, is taught by the Bible as well 
as by nature. Rom. viii., 19, the Apostle Paul 
says, "The earnest expectation of the creature 
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God ;' r 
that is, all earthly living creatures shall live again, 
in a re-creation that will be similar only to the 
earthly resurrection which mankind shall experi- 
ence. And in the 22nd verse, he says, "The whole 
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together 
• * * * waiting for the redemption of our 
body;" that is, for such a redemption as human 
material bodies will experience in the re-created 
world. 

This natural view of our resurrection, leads to 
an explanation of the deep mysteries that are con- 
nected with birth, death, and a future life. And 
unlike visionary theories ancient or modern,- 
which fail to throw any light upon the difficult 
problems which are connected with life and death,, 
the views under consideration may be accepted by 
thoughtful persons, and will be found a valuable 
aid in our investigations; and when accepted and 
properly used, they lead to positive proofs of a 
future life; and show that a resurrection from the 



24 NATURAL RESURRECTION. 

dead occurs according to the laws of nature, and 
in fulfilment of God's precious promises that are 
found in the Bible. 

There are many Christian people of whom we 
may say, that while they believe in a future resur- 
rection of their earthly bodies, they are not fully 
satisfied as to its reality. They believe, but they 
are wishing for more convincing proofs, and for 
a better understanding as to when, where, how, 
and why our bodies shall live again in the world 
to come. For the use of such persons, the laws 
and operations of nature afford abundant light. 
They offer positive proofs that after death the 
bodies of all mankind will be re-created; and 
that if developed and nurtured by living a Chris- 
tian life, the spirit of every human being may go 
to heaven, not only from the present cycle of the 
earth's existence, but from each and every re- 
creation of the world; and that all these grand 
results occur as a fulfilment of God's promises, 
and according to his natural laws, by which he 
adds to the host of heaven happy souls, to enjoy 
the spiritual world forever. And as we have seen, 
the Bible and nature teach the same resurrection 
of our material bodies, and the same facts relating 
to the continued life of our souls after death. 

To those who are doubtful as to a resurrection 
from the dead, and who have not made up their 



NATURAL KE&UKRKl TION. 25 

minds to remain unbelievers in a future existence, 
the statements contained in this discourse will be 
useful. 

In view of the facts which have been presented, 
the question found in the text is as applicable to 
an unbeliever today, as it was to those who lived 
eighteen hundred years ago. And if sometimes 
we have been inclined to think that a resurrection 
of our material bodies is unreasonable, the apostle 
Paul requires from us an answer to the question — - 
"Why should it be thought a thing incredible with 
you, that God should raise the dead 



0» 



SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY. 

I Thess. v.23. "And I pray God your whole 
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless 
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

In the constitution of the universe, there are 
ethereal atoms of individual life, there are atoms 
of inanimate ether, and atoms of inanimate pon- 
derable matter. These constitute three realms of 
existence, all of which are atomic. There are 
atoms of ether the peculiar property of which is 
life; there are other atoms of ether the peculiarity 
of which consists in the fact that they possess no 
life; and there are atoms of matter, the distin- 
guishing property of which is weight. Atoms of 
matter possess also the properties of extension, 
impenetrability and attraction. 

In the universe many events occur through the 
operation of unalterable laws, and consequently 
they will be repeated in the regular cycles of re- 
creation which the earth hereafter shall experi- 
ence. There are other events that are controlled 
by the will of living beings ; which events may or 
may not occur again in any future re-creation. 



28 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

A living vegetable in its organization is a dual- 
ity; that is, it consists of an atom of ethereal life, 
and atoms of matter. A living animal in its con- 
stitution also is a daulity. It consists of an atom 
of life and an organization of atoms of matter. 
A human being is more than this. 

A human being consists of an atom of life, a 
body made of atoms of matter, and a spiritual 
body, which is an organization of inanimate ether- 
eal atoms. In your constitution you are a triality. 
Your soul is your own ethereal atom of life. 
Your earthly body is made of thirteen material 
elements. Eight of these elements are gases, and 
five of them at ordinary temperatures are solid. 
Your spiritual body consists of atoms of inani- 
mate ether. 

Your own ethereal atom of life never was cre- 
ated. It always has existed as an atom of living 
individuality which can never die. Your earthly 
body will die ; that is, your life will loose its con- 
trolling power over the atoms of w T hich your ma- 
terial body is made; and those material atoms 
will return to the earth. Your spiritual body if it 
is nurtured and developed, may live forever as an 
individual being in the spiritual world. Your 
earthly body had its time of conception and its 
time of birth ; and it is nourished by appropriating 
material food. The life and growth of your ether- 



29 

eal body, depends upon the use of spiritual food. 
And we know that both nutrition and birth are 
later in your history than the existence of your 
own individual life. A human spirit has its time 
of conception and its time of birth. From con- 
ception to birth, your earthly body was nurtured 
by direct maternal connection; and after your 
birth until you could successfully seek support, 
you were cared for by your parents or friends. 
The early history of your spiritual body resembles 
the early history of your earthly body. Our 
heavenly Father has provided for a spiritual body 
in every stage of its being, whether it continues 
to live in its earthly body, or by death it should 
be liberated from association with it. In the em- 
brionic stage of its spiritual existence and in the 
period of life immediately following that state, a 
human spiritual body is sustained by transmitted 
maternal spiritual influences. After its birth, if 
the requirements of a spirit are neglected, it may 
perish in the present life or after death. The soul 
of a person entertaining pure and spiritual de- 
sires, although imperfectly developed, will find in 
heaven ample provision for continued spiritual 
growth. Concerning little children who die, Matt, 
xviii.io, Jesus says, "In heaven their angels (that 
is, their spirits) do always behold the face of my 
Father which is in heaven." The material and 



30 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

spiritual conceptions of a human being are not 
from two entities, but from one atom of individual 
life; and both conceptions occur at the same time. 
When your spirit was so far developed that it 
could seek for nourishment, it was born into dis- 
tinct activity ; and this was after the birth of your 
material body, and as soon as the faculties of your 
earthly body could aid in providing the nourish- 
ment that your spirit required. Sometimes the 
birth of a human spiritual body occurs later in 
life, when through the gospel and a reception of 
Christ its spiritual nutrition iz resumed. It feeds 
first on spiritual milk, and afterward upon heaven- 
ly bread. These facts we learn from both nature 
and the Scriptures; and they clearly show that 
your spirit's vitality is independent of the life of 
your earthly organization, and consequently that 
it may live after the death of your material body. 
I Pet. i.23, the apostle speaks of his brethren as 
persons who were "born again, not of corruptible 
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word Oi God, 
which liveth and abideth forever." And 1 Pet. ii.2, 
he says to them, "As new born babes, desire the 
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow there- 
by/' And John vi.58, Jesus explains this lan- 
guage. He says, "This is that bread which came 
down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 31 

manna and are dead : he that eateth of this bread 
shall live forever." 

All statements with reference to our future life 
that are found in the Scriptures, should be inter- 
preted in accordance with the laws that govern 
the natural universe. When we interpret the Bible 
naturally, fresh light breaks forth from its state- 
ments. We not only remove sceptical objections,, 
but we secure a positive proof of the reality of our 
future conscious existence, in the fact that the 
Bible agrees with nature in all its statements with 
reference to immortality and a resurrection from 
the dead. 

The earth itself is eternal in repeated cycles of 
its existence. A time will come, when the ele- 
ments of which the world consists, shall return to 
their original gaseous state, and a re-creation of 
the earth will occur. Through tke influence of a 
reduction of temperature and of condensation, the 
elements in a thick stratum of the earth's surface 
will return to their original gaseous condition. 
Then a re-creation of the world will begin. In the 
repeated physical history of the world, all former 
living bodies, including yourself, must appear 
again, at their own natural times in that cycle of 
the earth's existence, according to the law of de- 
velopment, by the operation of unalterable and 
uniform laws of nature. 



32 

The characters that distinguish mankind from 
animals, are seen in the spiritual and divine aspir- 
ations, utterances, expectations and attainments of 
a human spirit. None of these are manifested by 
animals. You have a spiritual nature; and your 
future existence includes the continued life of your 
spiritual body after death, and an earthly resurrec- 
tion — a resurrection which will not occur during 
the present cycle of the earth's existence, but in 
the re-created world, in another material body, 
which will possess your own individuality. 

In the constitution of your own being, if you 
should seek no further, you may find a positive 
and irresistible proof, not only of the existence of 
your individual atom of life and the existence of 
your spiritual body, but also proof that after death 
you may live and possess the faculties of a con- 
scious being in the heavenly world. Nature, how- 
ever, does not teach the immortality of a soul as 
generally it is understood. We do not learn from 
natural facts that your spiritual body must live 
forever, but we learn that it may live forever. Your 
spirit is not your life. 

Your earthly body and your spiritual body are 
not different individualities — both are developed 
by the activity of your one life. And your spirit's 
vitality imparted to it by your own eternal ether- 
eal atom of life, is a vitality which it may retain 



SOUL AND BODY. 33 

forever, because, by the spiritual provisions that 
God has made, the life of your spiritual body may 
be preserved from destructive opposing forces. 
This explains the language of the apostle Paul, 
when, concerning the life of his spiritual body, he 
says, "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 
And it also explains the language of Jesus, when 
concerning spiritual life, he says, "I am come that 
they might have life, and that they might have it 
more abundantly." 

Your earthly body has its own mind, and your 
spiritual body has its own mind. Your atom of 
life may bring into the heavenly world, from each 
re-creation of the earth your additional distinct 
spiritual body. And in heaven, your spirit's joy- 
ous remembrance will be eternally retained; but 
the activity of your natural mind will cease at the 
death of your material body. 

Throughout all nature, we find that wherever 
there is a habitation suitable for a living being, a 
corresponding atom of living individuality which 
we call life, finds its way to it, and there organizes 
its body which is adapted to the conditions. Each 
sparkling drop of dew on a blade of grass, is a 
beautiful home for a unicellular living creature; 
and although the dewdrops glitter but an hour in 
the morning sunshine, they all have their little in- 
habitants. Just so our Heavenly Father from the 



34 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

living: ethereal realm, sends into each prepared 
human embrionic place its own ethereal atom of 
life, there to organize both its earthly body and its 
ethereal spiritual body. That atoms of life should 
possess such intelligence and farseeing capacity, 
is no more wonderful than the like apparent in- 
telligence of an individualized current of electric- 
ity. When such a current leaves the far off end of 
a wire, it will find its way instantly through earth, 
ocean and rocks, back to its home in its little bat- 
tery. 

To meet your doubting disposition, nature fur- 
nishes many evidences of the existence of your 
spirit; and that it is an organization which is dis- 
tinct from your earthly body and its natural mind. 
We know that your material body is nourished by 
the material food you use, and that its mind is fed 
by learning and thought. And we know that your 
spiritual nature cannot be fed or satisfied by nat- 
ural mental achievements, though all earthly 
knowledge was offered. The requirements of 
your spiritual mind are satisfied only by knowl- 
edge of divine realities — realities which like your 
spirit itself, are spiritual, ethereal, unfettered to 
earth, and far above all desires of the natural 
mind. These distinct spiritual requirements, 
clearly reveal a distinction in your being — your 
"natural body" with its mind, and your "spiritual 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 35 

body" with its mind. And moreover, it clearly 
distinguishes mankind from lower orders of the 
animal kingdom — man made in the "image" of 
God who is " a spirit." 

It is true that we sometimes meet with persons 
who have no expectation of a life hereafter, who 
nevertheless profess to be ready to die; and they 
honestly are quite satisfied to leave the question of 
their own future life entirely to the operation of 
laws of the material universe. It is indeed a sad 
custom, thus to neglect the spiritual organization 
until it dies — the human ethereal body which pos- 
sesses divine and heavenly capacities — neglec-ing 
it until there can be perfect contentment in the 
gratification of the natural body and its mind. In 
such cases the soul is lost. It is almost if not en- 
tirely dead — perhaps starved to death. 

As the food upon which a spirit lives, indicates 
that it is a distinct organization in your being, sa 
your spirit's aspirations and utterances, distin- 
guish it from your natural mind. Your natural 
mind craves for the use of its body, vegetables and 
meats, and for itself knowledge relating to mate- 
rial things ; but your spirit longs for that which is 
ethereal, spiritual, divine, and free from all lusts 
and passions of your earthly mind. Your natural 
mind wants gratification of your natural senses. 
It desires beauty for the eye, melody for the ear, 



30 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

sweet perfumes, and the pleasure of solving prob- 
lems of the natural universe. And when de- 
praved, it desires sinful and hurtful gratifications. 
But the mind of your spirit, if developed and pure, 
soars far above all earthly things into the ethereal 
realm; and losing sight of passions and lusts of 
your earthly being that control the will, your 
spirit's experience with that which is divine, 
imparts the most real, ecstatic and overwhelming 
impressions that are made upon your conscious- 
ness. These facts reveal your spirit, not only as a 
distinct organization in your personality, but also, 
as the very center around which cluster all other 
elements of your being. And moreover, we know 
that the growth and development of a human 
ethereal body, which possesses the spiritual facul- 
ties depends upon nutrition ; and that the spiritual 
capacity of a human being, may be developed to 
such an extent that its controlling power becomes 
greater than the mental faculty of the material 
body. These evidences surely are sufficient to 
establish beyond the necessity of a doubt, the ex- 
istence of the human spirit. And the fact that 
your material body and your spiritual body are 
distinct and independent organizations in your be- 
ing, is positive proof that your spirit may live after 
the death of your earthly body. 

Concerning the character of our spiritual being 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 37 

in the future life, there are only three theories 
from which we may choose. One view is, that 
your spiritual existence will be of a material na- 
ture, in the same sense that your earthly body is 
material. Another view is, that it will be abso- 
lutely unsubstantial; that is, of such a char- 
acter that it cannot be recognized by any of your 
natural senses, and hence intangible — an uncer- 
tain existence — a life that would be impersonal 
and undesirable. The third view, which corre- 
sponds with all facts relating to life that we per- 
ceive by our spiritual and natural senses, is as 
follows : — 

The universe consists of three distinct classes 
of existence — ethereal atoms of life, atoms of in- 
animate ether, and atoms of ponderable matter. 
As in the material world there are organized liv- 
ing individual bodies, so in the ethereal realm, 
there are organized living ethereal bodies; and 
owing to the difference in their atomic character, 
the material and ethereal bodies of a human being 
united in one personality, occupy the same place 
in space without interfering with the law of im- 
penetrability, although the human spirit is a dis- 
tinct organization. It is a union in which natural 
and ethereal faculties act in an associate relation; 
just as in a well constructed galvanic battery, 
there is an element that controls the material 



38 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

gases, and another element that governs the 
ethereal electric current — distinct elements united 
in one battery, but exercising distinct functions. 

Although atoms of ether are not material they 
are tangible. It would be impossible for your 
spiritual body to have a tangible existence, if its 
manifestations all were outside of the capacities 
of our natural senses. And moreover, an abso- 
lutely unsubstantial person could not be located in 
space; and if your future being is to be an indi- 
vidual existence, it must have a distinct and defi- 
nite place in space; otherwise it would not be in- 
dividual. Our existence would be only absorp- 
tion into an inconceivable aggregate of immortal- 
ity. But from both nature and the Bible, we have 
a promise of future life the character of which we 
can comprehend, and in the hope of which we 
may rejoice. Rom. i., 20, Paul says, "The invisi- 
ble things of him from the creation of the world 
are clearly seen, being understood by the things 
that are made." And in the fifteenth chapter of 
his first epistle to< the Corinthians, he explains the 
relation which your spirit sustains to your earthly 
body. In the 44th verse, he says, "There is a' nat- 
ural body, and there is a spiritual body;" and in 
the 46th verse, he says, "Howbeit that was not 
first which is spiritual, but that which is natural ; 
and afterward that which is spiritual." 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 39 

Your spiritual body may perish. But your own 
atom of individual life is an eternal and change- 
less existence. — it can never die. And the death 
of your spiritual body is a catastrophe that need 
not occur. With reference to your own case, you 
know that your spirit is living and conscious, as 
long as you experience a desire for spirituality 
and godliness. The entire absence of such aspira- 
tions and a lack of spiritual perception, are tokens 
of the inactivity or death of a soul, and reveal the 
guilt of fatal neglect. Continued neglect of the 
soul, is the a sin unto death" that is spoken of I 
John v., 16 — a passage of Scripture which has 
been a mystery to many people. Such deplorable 
neglect makes it possible for an ungodly person to 
ignore and blaspheme all that is pure, and all that 
is spiritual — a condition which is a sin against the 
Holy Spirit. And Matt. 12,32, Jesus says, that 
such sin "shall not be forgiven * * * neither 
in this world, neither in the world to come." 

Nature teaches that the sould requires food and 
care, in order that it may live and increase in spir- 
itual stature. As the earthly body of an infant 
looks to its parents for protection, and naturally 
seeks for nourishment; so the infant spiritual 
body intuitively seeks support. But, alas! some- 
times parents have no spirituality,. and cannot aid 
the infant soul. When the spirit receives care, it 



40 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

i$ nurtured and grows; but if it is neglected, it 
may live in an undeveloped condition without 
nourishment or growth ; and deprived of spiritual 
food it may perish. 

All these lessons are taught also by the Scrip- 
tures, Matt, x., 28, Jesus says, "Fear not them 
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the 
soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy 
both soul and body." In the Bible, the word 
"soul" is used to designate different things. In 
this language of Jesus, it means the human spir- 
itual body. In other passages it refers to life; and 
in others it refers to persons. Rom. vi., 23, Paul 
tells us, that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift 
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our 
Lord." It is evident that in this passage the life 
spoken of is spiritual life; and that the death re- 
ferred to is spiritual death. These natural facts 
and these statements that are found in the Bible 
are proofs. They are not merely theory. Concern- 
ing the reality of our future life, they are proofs 
of a positive character. They are grand facts, and 
the deductions from them are important. 

As every day we care for our earthly bodies, 
how is it with reference to our spiritual interests? 
In Christ our Savior there is a rich feast for the 
support of our souls— a full menu of spiritual pro- 
visions. The food upon which your spirit lives, 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 41 

consists of spiritual facts, precepts and principles,, 
ethereal appropriation, spiritual communion, in- 
struction, knowledge and experience, love, joy 
and peace. Rev. ii, 17, Jesus says, "To him that 
overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden man- 
na;'' and we are invited to come and "buy without 
money and without price." Our Savior's promise 
enables us to rise above the controlling influence 
of a worldly mind, to the enjoyment of a holy 
spiritual life. 

To those who are living spiritual lives the in- 
visible world is not dark. It is glorious. Your 
dear ones have been taken away. Your beloved 
child, your kind brother, your loving sister, your 
godly father, your Christian mother or your faith- 
ful wife have gone on before you; but they are not 
far away. They are only beyond the line that di- 
vides the realm of things that are visible, from the 
realm which is more difficult to see. It will not be 
long until the veil that obscures the future life 
will be lifted, and then the invisible will appear. 
We shall behold the reality and beauty of the 
heavenly world in its own bright light. And there 
we shall enter into that rest which is unknown 
during earthly life. 

When our friends are dying, no doubt their 
spirits have reason to wonder at our apparent 
spiritual indifference and want of faith and under- 



42 SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 

standing, as we remain at a distance from them, 
while they are trying to draw us nearer to the 
bright cloud which they are entering, that we may 
see the spiritual scenes which are breaking upon 
their views. But they lose sight of our imper- 
fections, and we may rest assured that when they 
enter the heavenly world, they will leave tfce 
"gates ajar," and place a "light in the window," as 
a token of love and solicitude for our welfare — 
frequently coming near us to comfort us — indi- 
cating their presence by impressions which they 
make upon our spiritual nature. But this is pos- 
sible only when our own souls are in a state like 
heaven— developed, free from unkindness, world- 
liness and all impurity. Heb. i., 1-4, we read of the 
heavenly "ministering spirits sent forth to minis- 
ter for them who shall be heirs of salvation" — 
spirits who endeavor to raise our affections above 
transitory things that they may be placed upon 
things in heaven. 

Servants of the Lord should not fear the fu- 
ture. They should feel as Paul did when he wrote 
those words of confidence, 2 Cor. v.8 — "willing 
rather to be absent from the body, and to be pres- 
ent with the Lord." It is our privilege to journey 
onward toward the heavenly mansions rejoicing; 
knowing that bye and bye our hope will expe- 
rience a glorious fulfilment in the realities of 



SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY. 43 

heavenly life; when all the trials and sorrows 
through which we have passed in this world, will 
be forgotten in the perfect happiness of our home 
in heaven — a home which God has prepared for 
all who "shall be accounted worthy" to obtain the 
spiritual resurrection — the glorious resurrection 
that is spoken of in the text which has led our 
thoughts through the present discourse. 



NATURE'S TESTIMONY. 

Ps. xix. 1-2. "The heavens declare the glory 
of God and the earth showeth his handiwork. 
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto 
night showeth knowledge." 

These statements should be understood as 
teaching, not only that nature reveals God's work 
in creation, but also that the laws and phenomena 
of nature, enable us to understand the relation 
that exists between our Heavenly Father and 
mankind, and the meaning of difficult passages 
that are found in the Scriptures. And Rom. i. 20, 
where Paul tells us that "the invisible things of 
him from the creation of the world are clearly 
seen, being understood by the things that are 
made/' he means that the laws and phenomena 
of nature are natural keys which unlock the mean- 
ing of the sacred writers, and reveal the spiritual 
world that we may enjoy a view of its reality 
and glory. 

For the purpose of determining the meaning of 
difficult passages that are found in the Bible, 
there are four methods which have been exten- 
sively used, and found to be unreliable. 



46 nature's testimony. 

First, we mention the explanations given by 
the Roman Catholic church, which is represented 
as being infallible in its decisions upon all relig- 
ious questions. With reference to this way of 
interpreting the Bible, it is necessary only to say 
that all Protestant Christians reject it. 

Secondly, there is the effort to interpret the 
Scriptures by the aid of God's Holy Spirit re- 
ceived in answer to prayer. With reference to this 
mode of obtaining light, it is true that the Holy 
Spirit does lead into truth all who follow where 
he leads. But in our experience, this way of de- 
termining the meaning of the sacred writers is 
not satisfactory. For example, the society of 
Friends or Quakers who claim to be specially led 
by the Holy Spirit, say that the New Testament 
does not require the use of water in the adminis- 
tration of the ordinance of baptism. But we also 
find that the church of Plymouth Brethern, who 
also claim to be specially guided by the Holy 
Spirit in their interpretation of the Bible, under- 
stand it as teaching that water is required. This 
state of things in the belief of churches claiming 
to be guided by the Holy Spirit, leaves us to look 
for a way of determining the meaning of the 
Scriptures, which is more trustworthy than the 
assertions of good men and women that they are 
guided by the Holy Spirit. -'" 



nature's testimony. 47 

Thirdly, there is the plan of collecting all that 
the Bible says on a given subject, and from a 
review of the passages, endeavoring to determine 
the meaning of the text under consideration. This 
plan also fails. It fails even in the investigation 
of important questions relating to the nature of 
our future existence. We know that there are 
churches which pursue this course, and believe 
that immediately after the death of our material 
bodies our souls will be "present with the Lord" 
in heaven; and there are churches who declare 
that there is not one passage in the Bible which 
teaches such doctrine. Moreover, we notice that 
sermons from preachers who proclaim these op- 
posite views, consist almost entirely of quotations 
from the Scriptures; which quotations really do 
relate to the subject. It is true that some light 
may be obtained by the adoption of either of these 
ways of interpreting the Bible; but, as we have 
seen, the results are very far from being satisfac- 
tory to thoughtful persons. 

Fourthly, there is the plan of endeavoring to 
force Bible students to assent to every word in 
King James' translation, as understood by a par- 
ticular church; coercing the mind to accept many 
statements that are improperly rendered, and 
others which were introduced from ancient manu- 
scripts without sufficient authority. Those who 



48 nature's testimony. 

adopt this thoughtless way of reading the Word 
of God, are loud in their denunciation of scholar- 
ship, learning and logic, when they are applied 
for the removal of human errors from the Bible ; 
and they say that if we use reason to eliminate 
from the Scriptures errors which were put there 
by human authority, we "transfer our faith from 
God to fallible mortals/' although they know that 
such errors should be removed. 

It also has been said, that "the Word of God 
needs no aid." That is true. But it also is true, 
that we who study the Bible do need aid. This is 
clearly seen in the opposite character of the doc- 
trines which churches find in the Bible, although 
the Scriptures do not teach contradictory doc- 
trines. Such denunciation of the use of our men- 
tal faculties, if it was practiced outside of the 
Bible, would seek to destroy our schools and 
institutions of learning, and to throw us back into 
the conditions that prevailed during the dark 
ages ; and it also seeks to put out the intellectual 
and spiritual lights of our nature, which assure us 
that we are made in the image of God. 

Religion is worship which a soul renders to 
God. In an essay recently published in a leading 
journal, the writer says: "That we are soon. to 
have religion full of rational qualit) seems to be 
assured. Its conclusions will be founded upon 



nature's testimony. 49 

reasonable promises. * * * * Its hopes, its 
prayers and its hymns will accord with nature. 
They will be as graceful as the curve of the sky, 
free as the flow of rivers and sweet as the wind 
rustling the corn. It will give unbounded trust 
to all who make it theirs." Whether this predic- 
tion shall be literally fulfilled or not, we all would 
welcome the advent of more natural views of 
the teaching of the Bible. Every laborer in the 
field of missionary work is aware of the unpleas- 
ant fact that, in consequence of unreasonable and 
unnatural doctrines which are preached in the 
name of Christianity, many persons are prevented 
from uniting with the church. And they are 
familiar with the still more uncomfortable truth, 
that many in the church, and many more who are 
out of it, in consequence of such preaching, at the 
close of their earthly existence are left with an 
imperfect faith and an unsatisfactory hope of a 
future life. 

On all subjects the lessons we may learn from 
the laws and phenomena of nature, agree with 
the teaching of the Bible. Nature is an excellent 
teacher of divine truth. The text says, "Day unto 
day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth 
knowledge." When we accept natural aid, 
fresh light breaks forth from the Word of God, 
and we have an interpretation of the language 



50 nature's testimony. 

used, the corectness of which is guaranteed by 
the material and spiritual realms of existence and 
by the sanction of the Bible itself. And more- 
over, we have an understanding of the Scriptures 
that enables you to fully obey the apostolic com- 
mand, i Pet. iii. 15, where you are told, to u be 
ready always to give an answer to every man 
that asketh you, a reason of the hope that is in 
you;" that is, a reason which will be satisfactory 
to others as well as to yourself. 

As an example of a natural view of a miracle 
as it is recorded in the Bible, let us notice a 
wonderful but true story, about which there has 
been much talk. It is the account of Jonah and his 
adventure with a whale, in the Mediterranean sea. 

The story of Jonah is a dramatic production, 
founded upon facts; as Rhea's favorite drama is 
founded upon the life of Josephine, Empress of 
the French. In the drama of Jonah, the story 
of the gourd may be an embellishment, but Jonah 
and the whale were realities. To this fact, nature 
bears satisfactory testimony. 

The vessel on which Jonah embarked encoun- 
tered a storm of great violence, and there was 
danger that the ship would be lost. The sailors 
were superstitious; and thinking that Jonah was 
the cause of their peril, they threw him overboard. 
He fell into the water, and was drawn into the 



nature's testimony. 51 

mouth of a great whale which at that time was 
feeding near the vessel. It was not a Sperm 
Whale, nor a whale of the species commonly 
spoken of as the Fin-back; but it was the one 
known to science as the Balaena Mysticetus — 
usually caled the Right Whale. This whale has 
a large mouth, but its throat is very small. Its 
mouth is about eight feet deep by nine feet wide, 
and large enough to hold ten or twelve men. The 
author of this discourse himself has been in a 
whale's mouth, and found room enough to walk 
about, within the hirsute whalebone plates that 
hang from a whale's upper jaw like a fairy cur- 
tain. 

A whale is not a fish, but an amphibious milk- 
giving animal which cannot for a long time re- 
main under water. It must come to the surface 
once in every hour to blow ; that is, to expel the 
impure air from its mouth, and to take in a sup- 
ply of resh air. It was called a "great fish" be- 
cause its habitation was in the water; as bats may 
be included with "fowls" that fly in the air, al- 
though they are not fowls, but animals that be- 
long in the order Cheiroptera, which have wings. 
The whale's throat was very small, and it could 
not swallow Jonah; and consequently there was 
no danger that the prophet would be used for 
food. 



52 nature's Testimony. 

A whale feeds on small marine larva that live 
on the surface of the ocean. It takes its meal by 
opening its mouth wide, and by running along 
the surface of the water. When it has collected a 
sufficient' amount of food, it closes its mouth and 
forces out the water; but it retains the food, which 
is prevented from escaping by the row of whale- 
bones that are covered with coarse hair, and 
which are located in the front part of its mouth. 
The whale under consideration, certainly could 
have had no desire to feed again while Jonah 
was tormenting it; and he remained in the air 
chamber formed by the upper part of its mouth, 
punishing the whale as much as it punished him. 
At the expiration of three days, the whale cast 
him out into the breakers; and from the waves, 
in an unconscious condition he was rescued, per- 
haps by fishermen who carried on a trade with the 
far off city of Nineveh. 

We would naturally understand that Jonah told 
them the story of his peril — that he went on to 
Nineveh and warned the people of impending 
danger — and that he repeated the story of his 
marvelous deliverance from death, as a proof of 
his divine mission. When he was arrested for 
preaching on the streets, his friends, the fisher- 
men, testified to the truth of his statements. And 
this resulted in his release, and finally in the 



nature's testimony. 63 

conversion of the people. They were not as some 
persons suppose, converted to a holy life; but 
they were converted from their purpose to con- 
tinue at war with Israel. 2 Kings xiv.25, we are 
told, that at this time they were engaged in a 
war against God's people, the Jews. 

Such is a natural view of the story as it is 
recorded in the Bible. And in the record thus 
interpreted, we find a really grand miracle of 
God's power and goodness; not only in the de- 
liverence of Jonah from his peril, but also, in 
the bringing together at the proper times and 
places, everything necessary for the salvation of 
the wicked city. 

To the objector we would say, that the correct- 
ness of this interpretation is assured by the fact 
that Jesus indorsed the principal statements in 
the account of Jonah and his three days imprison- 
ment in the whale, with language that fully cor- 
roborates the views we have given. Matt. xii. 40, 
he says, "For as Jonah was three days and three 
nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of 
Man be three days and three nights in the heart 
of the earth." It is plain, that as the earth has no 
heart, the word must be understood as meaning 
the center of the earth; and as Jesus was not 
buried in the fiery ocean that constitutes the cen- 
ter of the globe, but in the new tomb of Joseph 



54 nature's testimony. 

on the earth's surface, we must understand the al- 
lusion to the central part of the whale in the same 
sense; that is, both were locations that as effectu- 
ally conceal from human sight, as a burial at the 
center of the earth. Thus Jesus teaches us, that 
Jonah was not imprisoned in the central digest- 
ing part of the whale's body, but in a part that 
corresponds to the location of his own tomb in 
the rocks on the surface of the earth; that is, 
Jonah was three days and three nights in the 
whale's mouth. Moreover, the original Hebrew 
word "baten," which has been translated so as 
to imply the abdominal region of the whale, often 
means a "cavity" without any reference to its 
peculiar character. And furthermore, Mr. Wil- 
son, the oriental traveler, during one of his voy- 
ages across the Mediterranean sea, saw a whale 
that was more than sixty feet long; which proves 
that whales of this species, although they do not 
belong in the Mediterranean, which is the deepest 
sea on the globe, do sometimes appear there as 
transient visitors. As an example of this dispo- 
sition to leave their native waters, we notice that 
a few years ago, a whale left the ocean, and went 
up the St. Lawrence river as far as Montreal in 
Canada, where it was harpooned ; and having 
been captured it was placed in a museum, and 
ever since it has been exhibited as a curiositv, 



nature's testimony. 55 

on account of its apparently unnatural venture up 
the river. 

By interpreting the Bible in a natural way, we 
do not substitute our own ideas for the scriptural 
records; nor do we express a doubt as to the 
truth of the facts which are stated in the Bible; 
but we supply that which was omitted by the 
sacred writers, as beiag within reach oi all 
thoughtful readers. And a natural way of read- 
ing the Scriptures, not only removes difficulties 
that are found in the way of an understanding of 
many statements relating to past history; but it 
also reveals the meaning of obscure passages that 
relate to the heavenly world and our future life. 

The apostle Peter says, that in the epistles of 
Paul there are some things "hard to be under- 
stood." They are as obscure to sectarian Chris- 
tians to-day, as they were for Jewish Christians 
in the days when Paul wrote. Then they could 
not free themselves from the influence of their 
Jewish education, which led them to interpret the 
Scriptures as teaching doctrines that were differ- 
ent from the meaning of the inspired writers ; and 
in our day, we cannot escape from the influence 
of our creeds. 

But for all passages found in the Scriptures 
that need explanation, God himself has provided 
an interpreter. And the interpretations we may 



56 nature's testimony. 

trust. According to the teaching of the text, that 
interpreter is nature — the heavens that "declare 
the glory of God," and the earth that sheweth his 
"handiwork" — the day that "uttereth speech," 
and the night that "sheweth knowledge." We 
may rely upon such aid received from nature, 
because the Bible and nature are words and 
works from the same divine author, and there can 
be no contradiction in their teaching. We may 
learn divine truth from the natural sciences, be- 
cause they are expositions of God's natural laws. 
And if you are living a spiritual life, and are un- 
prejudiced by the influence of an erroneous creed, 
and if you are living in communion with God, as 
you become familiar with his spiritual character, 
more truth will be revealed to you, without the 
aid of lessons from the material world. It will 
be revealed to you through the Holy Spirit or 
influence of our Heavenly Father's divine pres- 
ence. By all these precious and well adapted 
means God interprets his word for his people. 

If there is one of us who has been at times dis- 
posed to doubt the inspiration of the Bible, we 
may dismiss our fears, and rest assured that it is 
God's book. We may trust the promises which 
are found in the Scriptures. Jesus says, "Heaven 
and earth shall pass away but my word shall not 
pass away." 



nature's testimony. 5T 

We may give our hearts and lives to Jesus with 
abounding confidence that he will fulfil his 
blessed promise when he says, "Come unto me alL 
ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest." Glorious rest — not only rest now, in 
the forgiving love of God ; but when the trials of 
this life are over, immortal life, blessedness and 
rest in heaven. 




THE DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

John xvii. 5. "And now O Father, glorify thou 
me with thine own self with the glory which I had 
with thee before the world was." 

These words are found in a prayer which was 
uttered by our Savior, immediately before he was 
delivered up to be condemned and crucified ; and 
the language used plainly reveals his divine na- 
ture. 

The word "world" in the text, is translated 
from the Greek term "kosmon," which certainly 
means the world. From this fact we learn that 
Jesus was in heaven before the earth was created. 

There are churches claiming to be Christians, 
who believe that Jesus was no more than a good 
man and a great teacher. They say that Christ 
possessed unusual psychological power that en- 
abled him to work wonders. Christian churches 
generally believe that Jesus was a divine person- — 
that is, they believe that in individual personality 
Jesus and God are one. 

To many thoughtful Christians who really be- 
lieve iti the divinity of Christ, it seems impossible 



60 DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

to harmonize either of these views with known 
facts, and with plain statements that are found in 
the Bible. Consequently, many persons who 
study the Scriptures are compelled to say with 
more sadness than Paul did, "Great is the mystery 
of godliness which was manifested in the flesh" 
—that is, the mystery that is manifested in the 
person of Jesus our Savior. It was a mystery 
which Paul could explain; but in consequence of 
the acceptance of incorrect religious theories, it is 
a mystery that many Christian people cannot un- 
derstand. 

In order to comprehend the divine nature of 
Jesus, we should bear in mind the fact that 
in the constitution of a human being, there is 
an individual atom of life, an etheral spirit and 
an earthly body. And we should remember that 
a human spirit grows from infancy to maturity. 
We notice that Jesus frequently called himself the 
"Son of Man." In the Scriptures sometimes the 
word "son" means likeness of character. Mark, 
iii. 17, we read of "the sons of thunder;" that is, 
active persons who make themselves heard. And 
John xvii. 12, we read of the "son of perdition." 
When Jesus said he was the "Son of man," he 
meant that his earthly body was like a human 
body. But the spiritual body of Jesus differed 
from the spiritual bodies of mankind, in the fact 



DIVINITY OF JKSUS. 61 

that he came from the heavenly world a mature 
and perfect spirit. And because of this grand 
truth and his own divine personality, Jesus is 
called the "only begotten Son of God," although 
God is the Father of all mankind. Jesus is God's 
only Son whose spirit was born into this world 
perfect in stature. The apostle Paul evidently al- 
ludes to this distinction, when he says, "In him 
dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily;" and 
again he refers to the same fact, i Tim. iii. i6 y 
where he says, "Great is the mystery of godliness 
which was manifested in the flesh" — that is, the 
mystery which was manifested in the natural body 
of Jesus. And the fact that our Savior's spirit 
came from heaven perfect in stature, also ex- 
plains the meaning of an angel's language, which 
was addressed to the natural parents of Jesus be- 
fore he was born, Luke i. 35, we are told that an 
angel said to his mother, "The Holy Spirit shall 
come upon thee, and the power of the Highest 
shall overshadow thee" — that is, the overwhelm- 
ing presence of our Savior's mature Spirit "shall 
overshadow thee;" and therefore, he shall be 
called "the Son of God" — that is, because spirit- 
uality thus was given Jesus without measure he 
is called "the Son of God." The fact which we 
have under consideration reveals clearly the 
meaning of Christ, when he says, "I proceeded 



62 DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

and came forth from God" — that is, he came from 
heaven a mature and perfect Spirit. And it also 
reveals his meaning when he declares that he was 
with the Father "before the world was." 

The same grand truth explains the difficult 
statements or confessions of faith which are found 
in the Apostles' Creed — statements that relate to 
the personality of God and the divinity of Christ, 
and which are frequently repeated in Christian 
churches. First, the Creed says, "I believe in 
God the Father Almighty , maker of heaven and 
earth" — a personal God — that is, God's own per- 
sonality, which consists of all the atoms of divine 
spiritual life in existence, which give life to angels 
in heaven and life to his people on earth. Each 
atom of divine life is a definite and fixed part of 
the divine system of being; and therefore, a per- 
sonal organization — the living God, our Father — 
Creator of all and ruler over all. To understand 
that God is a personal existence, does not require 
that we should think of his etheral being as pos- 
sessing properties such as weight, size and physi- 
cal form, after the manner of our earthly bodies. 
Such descriptive words scientifically may be used 
only with reference to ponderable existence. 

There is substantial existence that is not ma- 
terial. This is plainly seen in lessons that may 
be learned from the natural sciences. For ex- 



DIVINITY OF JESUS. 63 

ample, in Spectrum Analysis. That wonderful 
science teaches that light consists of atoms of 
ether. And we find that all the etheral vibrations 
which give rise to the colors of light have been 
carefully analysed, and the number of vibrations 
that occur in a second in each color have been 
accurately determined. In heat and light there 
are vibrations. And we know that where there 
are vibrations there must be something to vibrate. 
Another positive proof of the substantial char- 
acter of ether, is found in the action of Professor 
Crookes' radiometer. In that instrument the re- 
volving vanes are placed in a vacuum. And we 
know that etheral waves from a heated body 
cause the vanes to rotate. This must be so, be- 
cause the air has been removed, leaving ether only 
in the globe in which the vanes revolve. That the 
rotation is not caused by atoms of a small per- 
centage of air which remains in the globe of the 
radiometer is assured by the fact that the vanes 
will not operate at all in atmosphere under ordi- 
nary conditions; because, when such experiments 
are made with the vanes in air, the resistance of 
the atmosphere is greater than the etheral vibrat- 
ing force of the rays of heat which impinge upon 
the vanes. From these facts we learn that al- 
though ether is not material it is substantial. And 
yet with all these lessons before them, unbelievers 



64 DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

fail to learn the clearly revealed truth that, there 
are in existence other substantial realities besides 
ponderable matter. 

In the book of Job we notice the question, 
"Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfec- 
tion?" The answer is, No! Concerning the per- 
sonal existence of God, we may have various de- 
grees of knowledge; but because of the limita- 
tion of our spiritual capacities during earthly life, 
we cannot fully realize the character of his being; 

The powers of all human faculties are limited. 
As there are sounds which are so low that we can- 
not hear them; and as there is ultra violet light 
that we cannot see; so there are natural and 
ethereal laws that our finite minds cannot fully 
comprehend. But some persons can hear better 
than others, and some persons can see things that 
are invisible to others. So it is with regard to our 
spiritual capacities. Some persons can realize 
God's existence only as a constructing power. 
Others through development of their spiritual dis- 
cernment recognize his personality. And there 
are others who experience his presence, and real- 
ize that he is a loving Father. But with reverence 
we all may bow before the comprehensible view 
of God's personality, as it is seen in the infinite 
organization which includes all the atoms of di- 



DIVINITY OF JESUS. 65» 

vine life in existence — each one of which is a 
miniature image of God himself. 

When we are told that God "breathed" inta 
man the breath of life, we understand that he 
imparted to each human being a divine individual 
atom of life. Atoms of human life are distinct 
from other species of earthly life, in that man is 
created in the "image of God." We are not told 
that God thus breathed into animals or plants, 
although every living vegetable and animal body 
has its own individual life. 

Many Christian people think of our Heavenly 
Father as a spiritual creating force. Indeed, but 
few persons realize that he is an infinite, real, 
ethereal organized personality. It is true that 
God is without material "body or parts;" and it 
is true he is a personality — a divine body, ethereal 
and indivisible. As each atom of matter in the 
material universe is distinct from other atoms; 
and as it is kept in its relation to others of its 
own elementary kind by chemical laws; and as 
each atom of inanimate ether in heat, light and 
electricity likewise is kept in its relation to other 
atoms of ether by ethereal laws ; so the divine liv- 
ing ethereal atoms which constitute the person of 
our Heavenly Father, are indivisible; although 
every atom of divine life in existence, on earth 
or in heaven, is part of his being. Paul says that 



^6 DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

Jesus is the "express image of his person ;" that 
is, he is the image of God expressed. And he 
also reminds us, that "we also are his offspring"— 
man made in the image of God. Our Heavenly 
Father must be such a personality, or he would 
not be a living being; nor could he possess pow- 
ers of self-direction and self-control; nor could 
he fulfil his promise to dwell in all of his living 
children scattered abroad on the face of the earth 
at the same time. And we know that he does 
manifest himself to them. David makes this very 
plain, Ps. cxxxix. 8-n — He says, "If I ascend up 
into heaven thou art there ; if I make my bed in 
hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings 
of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts 
of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, 
and thy right hand shall hold me." 

This view of the personality of our Heavenly 
Father is scriptural, and corresponds to the teach- 
ing of natural theology; but it is not pantheism. 
Pantheism sees material nature only, with no 
creating power outside of matter and its proper- 
ties, and no personal God, infinite and kind, to 
whom our hearts may turn when we forsake our 
sins. 

The confession of faith found in the Apostles' 
Creed, also says, "I believe in * * * Jesus 
Christ his only Son" — that is, God's only Son 



DIVINITY OF JESUS. 67 

born into this world with a spirit perfect in 
stature. His spirit so came to his earthly body 
that he might be the Christ — the heavenly source 
of nourishment for our spiritual bodies — the liv- 
ing human manifestation of God's saving princi- 
ples of truth and righteousness, which never be- 
fore were so clearly presented to mankind. Min- 
isters of the gospel sometimes present their 
thoughts with reference to Christ, in discourses 
which are founded upon transactions that were 
conected with Jewish ceremonies. They find 
types or figures of our Savior, not only in Abel, 
Isaac and the scapegoat; but also in a scarlet 
line which was placed in Rhahab's window and in 
a red heifer that was offered in Jewish sacrifices. 
Such lessons are useful. But it is possible that 
sometimes, they may prevent us from seeing the 
grandeur of the office of Christ as it is revealed in 
more spiritual themes — as it is revealed in the 
story of the garden of Eden — in the ten com- 
mandments — in the teaching of the prophets 
— and still more clearly in the life, death 
and resurrection of Jesus, and in the teaching of 
the apostles. These are God's means for saving 
mankind — the Christ proclaimed in every age of 
the world — the Christ preached to us, for our ac- 
ceptance, salvation and sanstification today. 
Perhaps some one may wish to know what be- 



68 DIVINITY OF JK8U8. 

came of the spiritual body of Jesus after his resur- 
rection from the dead. Acts i. 9, the Bible an- 
swers that question. We read, that "he was taken 
up, and a cloud received him." To skeptics who 
want to know what became of the earthly body 
of Jesus after his resurrection, the Bible gives no 
answer, but it allows you to have your own 
opinion. The Jews believed that his body was 
stolen. If so, Jesus must have been kidnapped 
after he showed himself alive to his disciples, and 
said, "Behold my hands and my feet that it is 
I myself; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as 
ye see me have." Our Heavenly Father took 
care of both the spiritual body and earthly body 
of Jesus, after his resurrection and appearance to 
"many witnesses." And as God secretly buried 
the material body of Moses, lest people should 
worship it, so perhaps he dissipated the elements 
of our Lord's body, and scattered them; lest his 
earthly body should be preserved and worshipped 
in place of Jesus himself, who in his spiritual body 
ascended to heaven. That people would have 
done so, is proven by the fact that they now 
worship what are supposed to be fragments of 
our Lord's coat, and pieces of the cross on which 
he died. 

The Apostles' Creed tells us, that Jesus was 
"born of the Virgin Mary." Joseph really was 



DIVINITY OF JESUS. 69 

the natural father of Jesus, and Mary really was 
his natural mother — but Jesus was divine. He 
is one in divine nature with God; and his spirit 
came from heaven — his mature spirit, who was 
with the Father "before the world was." In view 
of these facts, the Scriptures require from us an 
answer to the question, "what think ye of Christ? 
Whose Son is he?" If you have been inclined 
to regard the heavenly character of our Savior 
as human only; will you permit this discourse to 
assure you that Jesus is divine; and that he is 
"able also to save them to the uttermost that 
come unto God by him." The way is open for all 
who come to him through faith, love and obedi- 
ence. Jesus was with the Father "before the 
world was." He loved us, and came to our sinful 
world to save us. He suffered and died upon the 
cross to redeem us. He came to fit us for our 
eternal home in the mansions of glory — the man- 
sions which he has prepared for all those who 
believe, love and obey him. 

But it is possible for us to see the divine char- 
acter of Christ, and yet remain unsaved and un- 
satisfied. Merely seeing is not appropriating the 
heavenly manna. When you are hungry, your 
natural appetite cannot be satisfied by merely 
looking into a dining room. It is equally true 
that when your soul is hungry for spiritual nour- 



70 DIVINITY OF JESUS. 

ishment, you cannot be fed or satisfied by merely 
looking at these provisions of the gospel. You 
will be satisfied only by partaking of them 
through faith, spiritual education, willing obedi- 
ence and godly experience. 

John xvii. 24, Jesus says, "Father, I will that 
they also, whom thou hast given me be with 
me, where I am ; that they may behold my glory." 
It is a source of unspeakable joy, to know that 
our divine Savior thus speaks, not only of the 
glory which he had with the Father "before the 
world was," but also of the glory that we shall 
enjoy in heaven, if we love and obey him. 

In view of all these facts, let us with whole- 
hearted acceptance believe in the divinity of our 
Savior — the Son of God — his Son who is the 
"brightness of his glory," and the "express image 
of his person." 



ROCK OF AGES. 

Matt. xvi. 18. "Upon this rock I will build my 
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it." 

With reference to the foundation upon which 
the church of Christ is built, there are two inter- 
esting and important questions to be taken into 
consideration. The first question is, "What is the 
church?" The second question is, "What is the 
rock on which Jesus said he would build his 
church? 

Roman Catholic clergymen tell us that the 
church consists of an organization of communi- 
cants, and of ordinances and authority placed in 
the hands of the pope, bishops and priests, by 
succession, and by ordination. And they say that 
the apostle Peter was the rock upon which the 
Lord said he would build his church. Protestant 
denominations teach that a church of Christ is 
an organized association of his followers, who 
keep his ordinances ; and that the rock spoken of 
is Christ himself — views which certainly do cor- 
respond to the teaching of the New Testament. 



72 ROCK OF AGES. 

It is true that the keys of the Lord's kingdom 
were given to Peter; and that he was the first 
preacher who unlocked the gates of the Chris- 
tian church to both Jews and Gentiles. But in« 
the teaching of the apostles, we find that Christ 
himself and Christ only, is spoken of as the 
foundation of his church, i Cor. iii. n, Paul 
says, "For other foundation can no man lay than 
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" 

In view of the relation which Christ sustains 
to his people, it could not be otherwise. The 
church consists of those who love the Lord and 
obey his commandments; and from Christ him- 
self we receive spiritual nutrition and strength. 
I Pet. ii. 5, Christ is referred to as the living 
foundation, upon which the church of his people 
^'as lively stones are built up a spiritual house." 

When Jesus preached the gospel he made use 
of natural laws and natural phenomena. He 
presented in that way, all the important lessons 
which he sought to impress upon the minds of 
his followers. The language of the text is in ac- 
cordance with his usual mode of teaching. In 
their operation, the laws that govern the material 
world are like the laws which govern the world 
of spirits. And because this is true, the principles 
of religion are presented to us with natural illus- 
trations. The Scriptures should be interpreted 



rock or AGES. 73 

so as to correspond with the laws of the natural 
universe. Through natural interpretations, fresh 
light breaks forth from the Bible. And by in- 
terpreting in this way, we not only remove skepti- 
cal objections, but we secure a positive proof of 
our future life, in the fact that the Bible can be so 
interpreted correctly, and that it agrees with the 
teaching of nature in all its statements. 

We may learn many things regarding the char- 
acter of the foundation upon which the church 
is built, by a thoughtful examination of the con- 
stitution of solid rocks, and by taking into con- 
sideration the changes in their condition that 
naturally occur. In the natural world, the ma- 
terials that form rocks are solidified by the action 
of water, heat, pressure and crystallization. But 
the solid condition of a rock does not continue 
forever. When rocks are exposed to the cold 
of winter, to the heat of summer and to rain and 
sunshine, the result is a disintegration of the 
materials of which they are made. Solid stones 
are broken down and form the principal ingredi- 
ents of soil — the rich soil that we may cultivate, 
and from which we may obtain grain, fruits and 
vegetables — all these products of the earth by 
which our material bodies are sustained. 

This lesson that we may learn from the disin- 
tegration of solid rocks and the consequent for- 



74 ROCK OF AGES. 

mation of soil, has escaped the notice of many 
critical students of the Scriptures, although it is 
clearly seen in the character of our Savior. The 
character of Christ seems to be a mystery to 
thousands of Christian people. It is a common 
experience to trust in the mediatorial work of 
Jesus, without understanding the distinction be- 
tween Jesus himself and Jesus Christ; thus fail- 
ing to comprehend as fully as we should, the na- 
ture of the salvation which our Redeemer ac- 
complishes for us. The Christ which in person 
Jesus represented is revealed John vi. 50, where 
our Savior says, "This is the bread which cometh 
down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof 
and not die." The heavenly manna consists of 
spiritual facts, precepts and principles, heavenly 
intelligence and information, etheral appropria- 
tion, spiritual communion, instruction, knowledge 
and experience, love, joy and peace. Christ is the 
etheral bread, upon which your spiritual nature 
may feed, and receiving nutrition, grow in spirit- 
ual stature and spirituality of character that will 
fit you for everlasting life in heaven. This feast 
of divine truth is found in the Christ taught in 
all past ages, and in the Christ now proclaimed 
by the perfect life of Jesus, and the influence of 
love which he exhibited in giving himself a ran- 
dom for us. 



ROCK OF AGES. 75 

The provisions of God's grace which are found 
in our divine mediator are always before us; and 
an inspired writer who a thousand years before 
the birth of Jesus was well acquainted with the 
character of Christ, extends to us a bid to the 
feast. It is a call which again it is our privilege 
to accept if we will. Ps. xxxiv. 8, we find the in- 
vitation, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." 
Surely we all should accept the gracious call 
today; and every heart should respond in the 
language of our beautiful hymn — 

"Bread of heaven, 

Feed me till I want no more." 

and that will be when we go to heaven, where 
we will be forever "present with the Lord," and 
where we shall forever be free from want, trials 
and temptations. 

But some one may wish to inquire, "Why is it 
that some parts of the Bible are difficult to under- 
stand?" A little thought will reveal a reason why 
this is so. It is by the exercise of your mind 
that its power is developed; as the arm of the 
blacksmith is strengthened by use. Without work 
there would be no increase of your physical 
strength, and without the efifort necessary for 
the attainment of a knowledge of truth, there 
would be no mental development. For this rea- 
son, the Bible was so written and translated as 



_. BOCK. OF AGBS. 



BOCK ur ~v.~«- 

.earning, j**^ moreover, it 

^:r»ete szs&sz* -»* ■*- 

dominion over it interpretation, let 

As an example of care ess 7 thorns and 

us notice the F^^^JW days' work 
thistles were not included 

of creation, and that they w God 

istence after Adam a f J^ ^nkind for its 
and for the purpose of P^*"g ^ and thistles 
wickedness. It is evident tetjborv** 

was very good." <<A thonls an d 

Should the question arise /v 

thistles good?" The d^t^^wers the 
would depend upon ^*£*, 
question. The tiusue that {eed 

of life would say yes And the „ 

tViictV seeds would say yes, rney « & 
upon thistle seeds ^ are good be 

The needles on the «"» ^ d 

cause they protect the p ant ^ ^^.^ ^ 
because they defend, a tree 



ROCK OF AGES. 77 

truders. And the poisonous fangs of a rattle- 
snake are good as a means of defense against 
enemies. The evil which was brought upon man- 
kind was not the creation of thorns and thistles, 
but it was the removal of Adam and Eve from 
the beautiful garden, where it would have been 
easy to control the growth of the weeds — it was 
their removal to the unprotected fields of the 
world where thistles grow in profusion, and where 
it requires hard work to destroy them. It is true 
that thistles torment an agriculturist; and it also 
is true that our bodies and minds are developed 
by the exercise of ingenuity and by work; and 
the lazier we are, the more trouble we will have 
with the weeds. Thistle seeds are food for those 
beautiful thistle birds that have black spots on 
their yellow wings. The birds sing, and with 
their bright plumage aid in making the world 
cheerful. But some people shoot the birds and 
let the thistles grow, and then wonder why God 
makes so many thistles. 

There is a spiritual lesson that we may learn 
from the durable character of rocks. The lesson 
is, that the rock on which the church is built is 
the "Rock of Ages." Near the river Nile there 
are monoliths or tall columns of stone yet stand- 
ing, that were cut from the mountains by the 
ancient Egyptians; and they give but little evt- 



*JS ' ROCK OF AGES. 

dence of change from exposure to the storms 
of many centuries. They bear upon their pol- 
ished surfaces to-day, inscriptions that were en- 
graved there more than four thousand years ago. 
The enduring rock is indeed a significant figure, 
indicating the permanent character of the founda- 
tion upon which the church is built. That founda- 
tion is Christ the only begotten Son of God, who 
was with the Father "before the world was." 

It is true that solid rocks may disintegrate. 
But we should remember that the materials of 
which they consist are indestructable. Atoms of 
matter are eternal. Matter has always existed. 
And yet with this fact plainly revealed, the belief 
is common that when God made the world he 
made it out of nothing. Such a proposition is 
incomprehensible. And moreover, there is no 
reason why we should tax our mental faculties 
with such a belief. When the Bible says that "in 
the beginning God created the heaven and the 
earth," it means that he formed them from matter 
which then was in existence. The atoms of which 
it is constituted always have existed; and the 
same individual atoms never will cease to exist 
as such. They may be variously combined, but 
they cannot be destroyed. God has built his 
church upon a rock. That rock is Christ. And 
he declares that the "gates of hell (that is, the 



ROCK OF AGES. 79 

power of death) shall not prevail against it." No 
adversary shall prevail against his church, or 
against any of God's servants, who by faith, love 
and obedience have found safety and rest in their 
places in the living temple of God, which is built 
upon the "Rock of Ages." 

As it isin the constitution of our natural bodies, 
so it is with regard to our spiritual bodies. There 
is a warfare between life and death. In the 
maintenance of our natural bodies, there is a 
waste of tissues, and there is nutrition by the 
daily use of food. With reference to your spirit- 
ual life, Jesus says, "The gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it." Why not? Because Christ 
our Savior is the bread of heaven. He is the 
etheral food which will nourish our spiritual 
bodies. And Christ is the living water of which 
we may drink and thirst no more. God's Holy 
Spirit and the influence of his divine presence, 
and the heavenly truth found in the work, char- 
acter and teaching of Jesus, will nourish and 
sustain our souls forever. Whether we are young 
or old we all need our spiritual Shepherd's care. 
He is here, and cares for us all. Today he is 
seeking to supply our souls with heavenly manna. 
He will be our Savior and support during the 
pilgrimage of life; and he will be our light and 



30 ROCK OF AGES. 

joy, when we shall be galled to pass through the 
"valley of the shadow of death." 

God takes care of his people in this world and 
in the world of spirits. It is true that scepticism 
has its men of talent. It has such writers as 
Hegel, Strauss, Bauer, Renan, Weiss and Shen- 
Tcel. But it does not include in its ranks the most 
brilliant minds, nor the highest scientific author- 
ities. The roll call of Christianity reveals the 
names of the great astronomers Kepler, Coper- 
nicus and Newton — the geologists Agassis and 
I^yell — and statesmen, explorers, botanists, music 
composers and poets, are represented by Glad- 
stone, Washington, Columbus, Stanley, Linaeus, 
<jray, Hayden, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Milton and 
Longfellow. All these are Christian men of cul- 
ture, honesty and logical training, against whose 
faith the "gates of hell" atheism and ir fidelity can- 
not prevail. And let us be reminded that, this 
very hour Jesus is ready to give us a victory over 
sin and unbelief; for he is our Christ and our 
Savior, as he has been the Christ and Savior 
in every age of the world's history. 

When the Children of Israel were perishing in 
the wilderness, they found water in a rock, i Cor. 
x. 4, Paul says, "They drank of that spiritual rock 
that followed them; and that rock was Christ." 
And it is our happy privilege, to know that we 



KOCK OF AGKS. 81 

may find in Jesus our Rock and our Savior; the 
living bread and water of life, and a refuge at all 
times when we are called to pass through trials 
and temptations. 

It is a glorious privilege to give your heart 
and life to the Lord, and to enjoy these blessings. 
And with confidence we may trust the promises. 
They were made sure to us, when Jesus uttered 
the words which have led our thoughts through 
this discourse— -"Upon this rock I will build my 
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it" 



CREATION. 

Gen. i.i. "In the beginning God created the 
heaven and the earth." 

In the theory of creation which has been 
adopted by skeptics, no place is found for God's 
creating power. They notice that worlds are 
made and cosmical changes occur through the 
operation of natural laws and forces. And they 
tell us that as these laws and forces are properties 
of matter, God's will is not required in the work 
of creation. Such is the untheological creed of 
those who ignore the existence of our Heavenly 
Father. 

Christians believe in the existence of God, and 
that the heaven and the earth and all inanimate 
and living things, through the agency of natural 
laws were created by his divine will and at his 
command. And thoughtful Christians find no 
difficulty in naming positive proofs of these grand 
truths. 

The earth's physical history is repeated in cycles 
of existence. Each re-creating cycle extends over 
many millions of years. The universe consists of 



84 CREATION. 

atoms of life, atoms of ether and atoms of matter. 
Worlds are made of atoms of matter. Spiritual 
bodies are made of atoms of ether. A human 
being is a complex organization; that is, in the 
constitution of a human being there is an atom of 
individual life, or material body and an ethereal 
or spiritual body. God's personal being consists 
of all the atoms of divine life in existence, each 
one of which is a definite and fixed part of the 
system of his divine being; and therefore, he is a 
divine organization. This is the personality of the 
Living God and Creator of all things. 

Concerning the history of creation, the teach- 
ing of the Bible when properly interpreted, is in 
harmony with the teaching of the natural sciences. 
Natural laws are God's laws, and the Bible is 
God's book. Therefore, there can be no opposi- 
tion between the teaching of the Bible and the 
teaching of nature, when both are correctly inter- 
preted. 

According to the natural sciences which are 
taught in our colleges and universities, we know 
chat soon after the beginning of the organization 
of the earth, its elements existed in an immense 
cloud of heated gases. The world of fiery clouds 
gradually cooled, and a solid crust formed over 
the surface of the globe. Then condensed aque- 
ous vapor from the cooling atmosphere filled the 



CREATION. 85 

oceans. Afterward the world was peopled with 
living vegetable and animal beings. And we 
notice that in the process of creation, these great 
changes exhibit six distinct ages or periods of 
time; which in the Bible are called days. Each 
period was of long duration, and had its evening- 
as well as its morning or beginning. 

The ist and 2nd verses of the first chapter of 
Genesis remind us that God is the Creator of all 
things, and that at the beginning of the creation 
of the earth it was cold and dark. 

The 3rd and 4th verses tell us that during the 
first of these six ages of creation, the atmosphere 
was dense, and that only duffused light from the 
sun reached the earth. 

The 6th and 7th verses teach that during the 
second age, the atmosphere became clearer, and 
that aqueous vapor condensed and fell upon the 
surface of the earth. The 9th, 10th and nth 
verses tell us that during the third age, the atmos- 
phere became less humid, that dry land appeared 
and that diffused light from the sun was sufficient 
to cause vegetation to grow. 

It is generally supposed that the 14th, 15th and 
1 6th verses teach that the sun and moon were 
created at that time. But the facts taught are as 
follows — first, that the discs of the sun and moon 
could be seen — secondly, that the stars and plan- 



86 CREATION. 

ets then could be located, so that from their rising 
and setting a record of time might be kept. 

In accordance with the teaching of Geology, 
the 20th and 21st verses tell us that during the 
fifth age animal life first appeared in the waters. 

The 24th and 25 th verses say that in the sixth 
period animals that live on dry land were created. 

The 27th verse says that later in the sixth period 
or age, God made man in his own "image ;" that 
is, he made man a spiritual being, according with 
the Scriptiures which teach that God is an ethereal 
being or "Spirit." 

After the conclusion of this grand work of cre- 
ation God rested — not because he was weary, but 
because the six day's work was done. His work 
of supplying the earth with living creatures was 
complete. Since then living brings have con- 
tinued to reproduce their kind, and will continue 
to do so, until the divine purposes with regard to 
both earthly and spiritual beings in the present 
cycle of the world's existence shah be fulfilled in 
the earth's history. Then all living creatures will 
disappear from the world, because of the ex- 
treme reduction of temperature on the surface of 
the earth, and the coming catastrophe by which 
all the elements in the surface of the globe will 
be returned to their original gaseous state ; that is, 
they will be returned to the condition in which 



CREATION. 87 

they existed at the time spoken of in the 2nd verse 
of the history of creation recorded in the first 
chapter of Genesis. 

In the Bible, following the account of creation 
we find a pictoral history of the fall of man and 
the serious consequences that ensued. 

It is true that in our present life w r e all suffer 
much in consequence of sins. We suffer from our 
own violations of the laws of God and from the 
sins of others. But the introduction of death into 
the world was not a result of sin. The death of a 
living body is natural. All living creatures die. 
Christians, atheists, princes and paupers die. Ele- 
phants and animalcules die. Trees and diminu- 
tive mosses die. Natural death occurs according 
to natural laws, and is part of the natural order in 
the history of living beings. While the supplies 
that are appropriated by your system are sufficient 
and no fatal accident occurs, life continues; but 
when a waste of tissues becomes greater than the 
reparation, death follows. 

The fatal consequence of sin is spiritual death 
— not natural death. This we learn from both na- 
ture and the Scriptures. In the account of the 
evils that Adam and Eve suffered in consequence 
of sin, natural death is not mentioned. Expulsion 
from Paradise, sorrow and hard work are the re- 
sults spoken of. When God gave instructions to 



38 CREATION. 

Adam and Eve concerning the LrbiMen fruit, an :l 
said to them, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall 
ye touch it lest ye die," he meant spiritual death. 
Gen. iii.24, we are told that aftef their disobe- 
dience, by means of "Cherubims and a flaming 
sword" God prevented their approach to the tree 
of life, lest they should eat of its spiritual life pro- 
longing fruits, and their souls should "live for- 
ever" defiled and unholy. 

It would be as easy for God to provide for us 
food that would enable us naturally to continue 
to live in our earthly bodies ten thousand years, as 
it is to give us food that naturally permits us to 
die after a few years of life, if such was the divine 
purpose. There is no difficulty in seeing how all 
the requirements of a living body, including those 
that arise from oxidation and waste of tissues, 
might be met without violating natural laws ; and 
excepting in cases of fatal accidents, we can see 
Tiow it would be possible for the life of individuals 
to be continued while the earth remains in a hab- 
itable condition. These lessons from nature also 
are found in the Bible. Gen. iii.22, we are told 
that Adam, if he had been permitted to do so, 
could have used for food the fruit of the tree of 
life ; and that by appropriating it, he could have 
saved his spiritual body from death to which 
through temptations it was exposed. The figure 



CREATION. 89- 

of a serpent is used to convey to us an idea of the 
character of these temptations. 

In the Scriptures a serpent is used to repre- 
sent an adversary of mankind — a subtle serpent 
that destroys and ruins human beings — our great 
enemy, because it prevents the development of 
our spiritual nature. From the second chapter of 
Genesis we learn that throughout the history of 
the world serpents will contiue to crawl upon the 
earth. And although they feed upon flesh, "dust" 
will be mixed with their food during the entire his- 
tory of their e xistence. Today the serpent is as 
perfect a figure of temptation and the conse- 
quences of worldly life, as it was when the story 
of the garden of Eden was written. 

Adam and Eve were real persons; 
they were typical persons, and the 
first names found in the geneological records of 
the Jews. Satan who tempted them was their 
own disposition to violate God's laws — an evil 
disposition that was encouraged by temptations 
from a demon — a demon who was a departed 
wicked human spirit. We. are subject to influ- 
ences from such spirits and to influences from 
good spirits, and we are happy to know that good 
spirits have greater freedom to lead us onward in 
the divine life. We should remember that many 
millions of human beings had lived and died on 



"90 CREATION. 

this earth long before that time. Adam and Eve 
lived about 6000 years ago. But we have dug up 
from great depths in the earth, works of man that 
were placed there long before that time. We find 
that in the New Testament, sin is called Satan. 
For example, Luke xiii., 16, in the case of a wo- 
man whom the Lord cured of a dreadful malady. 
We are told that she "could not straighten herself 
up." Jesus spoke of her as one "whom Satan hath 
bound, lo, these eighteen years." If we would learn 
who and what that Satan was, we may refer to the 
fifth chapter of John, and read the language of 
Jesus which was addressed to the "impotent man" 
whom he had cured. Our Savior said to him, 
"Go and sin no more, lest a worse thing come 
unto thee." From these statements we learn that 
sin was the Satan that for eighteen years had 
bound the woman who could not "straighten her- 
self up" until Jesus delivered her from her bond- 
age. In our day there are men and women who 
are bound by Satan in the same way. The diso- 
bedience of Adam and Eve, led them to con- 
sciousness of a new and unhappy relation to our 
Creator— a consciousness that led them to hide 
from the presence of the Lord, by covering them- 
selves with fig leaves, and by secreting themselves 
behind trees. But the Lord shewed them that it 
was impossible for them to escape the conse- 



CREATION. 91 

quence of their disobedience. He drove them from 
from Eden, and told them to clothe themselves 
with skins of animals — clothing that was emblem- 
atic, because all who neglect their spiritual being 
will, like the animals, at their death return to the 
earth from which they were taken. 

The garden of Eden is a dramatic picture, 
founded upon facts. Its river of water and natural 
tree of life which are described in the book of 
Genesis, are figures of the real spiritual tree of life 
that is spiritual food, and of the river of living 
water which is God's Holy Spirit given to his 
people. These spiritual truths are clearly revealed 
in the closing chapters of the book of Revelation. 
God's purpose is that our souls may eat of fruit 
from the tree of spiritual life and live forever — not 
on earth but in the heavenly world, where we will 
be free from the changing cycles of the earth's 
existence ; and hence he does not permit the tree 
of everlasting life to be found in this world's veg- 
etable kingdom. 

Skeptics say that "it is impossible to harmonize 
the suffering which is experienced by living be- 
ings, with our belief in the existence of a good and 
wise Creator who rules the universe." But a re- 
view of facts which are connected with the subject 
shows that the assertion is incorrect. 

In order to realize that the prevelance of suf- 



92 CREATION. 

fering and death in the experience of human be- 
ings is in harmony with the wisdom and goodness 
of our Creator, there are two important ques- 
tions which must be answered, and it is necessary 
to recognize the divine arrangement for our eter- 
nal enjoyment of life hereafter. 

The first question is, "Why do we live?" This is 
a question which often presents itself for solution, 
and there is but one reasonable and satisfactory 
answer — "We live to enjoy our lives individually." 
Enjoyment of life is the purpose for which living 
beings are brought into existence ; and a spiritual 
nature has been given to mankind that they may 
live after the death of their material bodies, and 
enjoy life forever in the heavenly world. Sinful 
desires indulged react and injure us; and there- 
fore, real and profitable pleasure must be moral 
in its character. We know that happiness can b^ 
secured only by observing the laws of our being; 
and the gospel is designed to aid us in our efforts 
to secure happiness in the present life and real 
eternal happiness in the world to come. 

The second question referred to is, "Why is suf- 
fering and death permitted in the world ?" This is 
an important question, and one which also fre- 
quently requires an answer. We notice that a cor- 
rectreplymust be threefold in its character." First, 
suffering which results from our own disobe- 



CREATION. 93 

dience or neglect of duty, is intended to turn us 
back into the ways of obedience and happiness. 
Surely we need not wonder that divine wisdom 
and goodness should permit the existence of suf- 
fering which brings such a blessing. Secondly, 
pain that results from accidents which occur 
through our own ignorance, teach us how to 
avoid similar troubles afterward. And death re- 
sulting from such accidents, either changes the 
person's sphere of happiness from earth to the 
spiritual world, or terminates a worldly life that is 
unfitted for eternal existence, and hence is a ne- 
cessity, though it severs earthly ties. Death in all 
of the orders and species of living beings, includ- 
ing mankind, is the fulfilment of the period of life 
allotted to them individually on earth; and the 
suffering that they endure, is an essential part of 
the means by which their natural death is accom- 
plished. Thus we find that a thoughtful view re- 
veals the wisdom and goodness of our Creator, 
in permitting both suffering and death to be part 
of the common history of earthly living beings. 
Thirdly, the existence of human suffering which 
originates from causes that the sufferer cannot 
control, is more difficult to understand — divine 
wisdom only cph fully explain it. Nevertheless, 
by the use of even human reasoning faculties, we 
can realize that as the other classes of suffering 



94 CREATION. 

which have been mentioned result in good; suf- 
fering in these cases also must in its reults be of 
the same character; and this fact enables us to see 
that suffering which is endured by living beings is 
in perfect harmony with divine wisdom and good- 
ness; and we can understand that the final result 
of affliction, although it may occur through the 
operation of circumstances which we cannot con- 
trol, will result in an increase of opportunities for 
enjoyment, if not in this life, certainly it will do so 
in the world to come. 

From a thoughtful consideration of all these 
facts, we learn that pain and death are not, as 
skeptics say, cruel, unkind and unnecessary vis- 
itations upon living creatures; but we see that 
they are first, natural means of warning us; sec- 
ondly, that they are nature's processes of closing 
the allotted periods of individual earthly life; and 
thirdly, that both pain and death are the means by 
which the doors of the ethereal world are opened 
to those whose spiritual nature has been devel- 
oped and prepared for the enjoyment of everlast- 
ing life and blessedness. 

No greater calamity could possibly befall a hu- 
man being, than immortal spiritual existence 
when the soul is defiled by sin and unfitted for 
heaven. And no greater blessing could be be- 
stowed upon us, than eternal life when the soul is 



CREATION. 95 

pure and enjoys communion with God. We 
should remember also, that both nature and the 
Scriptures teach that our troubles may be in- 
creased and the death of our bodies hastened by 
neglect of our duties, and by disobedience to the 
laws of our being. But whether we die in infancy 
or at the age of "three score years and ten," in our 
earthly bodies, many millions of years after our 
death, we all will naturally be born again in the 
re-created world. 

As another example of natural and correct in- 
terpretation, we may notice a remarkable state- 
ment found in Joshua x.12 — a passage which tells 
us that Joshua commanded the sun to "stand 
still," and that daylight continued in the evening 
long after the sun had set. Skeptics interpret the 
language unnaturally, and say that the statement 
is hard to explain. They assume the meaning to 
be, that during one day the earth's rotation on its 
axis was stopped; and therefore, they declare 
that the statement is a falsehood. Although un- 
believers select this passage from the Scriptures, 
as one that cannot be harmonized with the science 
of Astronomy, the truth is that it requires very lit- 
tle explanation. When it is correctly interpreted, 
there is nothing in the account that is contrary to 
astronomical facts, or contrary to any other sci- 
entific facts. Persons who are inclined to enter- 



D6 CREATION. 

tain agnostic views, certainly can see that the lan- 
guage must be understood as teaching that the 
sun actually did stand still in the sky, or it must 
t>e understood as teaching that it appeared to do 
so. But in their determination to find something 
-against the Bible, they fail to notice that while but 
one of these interpretations is correct, both of 
them are in accordance with all the facts of 
Astronomy which they themselves know to be 
true. 

The sun is not a satellite, nor is it one of the 
planets of our solar system. Our college text 
tooks teach that it is a fixed star. And surely if it 
is proper for us thus to speak of the sun, it was 
proper for Joshua to do so. There is no difficulty 
in understanding how light from the sun could 
Tiave been retained two or three hours after sun- 
set by refraction, and that such refraction was a 
result of certain conditions of the atmosphere 
which on that evening prevailed. Therefore the 
occurence was in accordance with nat- 
ural laws. Skeptical persons usually 
claim to understand the natural sciences, 
and they certainly must know that even when the 
atmosphere is in a normal condition, every day 
after the sun has set its entire disc still is seen, 
because refraction bends the rays of light upward 



CREATION. 97 

34' 50". The sun is seen in the western sky after 
it actually is below the horizon. 

Some one may inquire, "What then was there 
in the occurrence that was miraculous ?" It is an- 
swered, that the special exercise of divine will is 
seen in the fact that God controlled the conditions 
of the atmosphere so as to meet the requirements 
of the laws of refraction, and brought about the 
desired result at the proper time ; that is, on that 
particular evening it remained light longer than 
usual. 

Skeptics say that in Joshua's time, it was a com- 
mon belief that the sun and all the stars revolve 
around the earth; and therefore, they claim that 
Joshua's language must be interpreted as teach- 
ing that false doctrine. But we find that when 
thoughtfully considered, the testimony of history- 
fails to justify their statements. Ancient history 
informs us that the Chaldeans, in the time of 
Joshua, 1450 years before Christ, were in posses- 
sion of much of the changeless knowledge of As- 
tronomy that is taught in the scientific schools of 
our own times. We are told that they were fa- 
miliar with the fact that eclipses of the moon re- 
cur in the same order in periods of eighteen years. 
The Egyptian astronomers of Joshua's time, from 
the movements of the planets established the 
length of a year to be three hundred and sixty- 



$8 CREATION. 

iive days and six hours. And Thayles, one of 
the sages of Greece 600 years before Christ, 
taught that the world is round and that the 
moon shines with reflected light. About three 
centuries before Christ was born, Aristarchus 
taught as we do, that the earth and planets re- 
volve around the sun. Remember this was 300 
years before the Christian era. 

But we find that during the dark ages which 
followed later in the history of the world, the 
false theory of Ptolemy was generally accepted; 
and the Roman Catholic church in those days, 
in accordance with the old false theory, taught 
that the earth was a central body around which 
all heavenly bodies revolve once in twenty-four 
hours. And even in our own day we occa- 
sionally meet with people who advocate the same 
false theory, and refuse to be convinced of their 
^rror. 

Some persons think that our knowledge of facts 
may change, but such is not the case. Knowledge 
itself is true and changeless. And astronomical 
knowledge is not an exception to the rule. There 
is no danger that an increase of our knowledge 
in the future will supplant the scientific knowledge 
which we now possess. It is true that unes- 
tablished theories may cause persons to change 
their views; but knowledge itself — that is, a clear 



CREATION. 99 

perception of the teaching of nature is correct and 
never changes. The acquisition of fresh informa- 
tion, always must strengthen and more fully es- 
tablish the knowledge already gained. It over- 
throws and removes only false theories, unscien- 
tific conclusions and false claims to an under- 
standing of the phenomena of the universe. 

It may be said that the knowledge of Astron- 
omy which we enjoy in our day, is different from 
views of Astronomy as taught in past centuries. 
That is true. But we should not forget that during 
the history of the world, even in the early his- 
toric periods when mankind were less developed, 
the records show some astronomical knowledge. 
In view of these facts, the assertion that Joshua 
knew nothing about the movements of the earth, 
and that his statement concerning the length of 
the day spoken of must be interpreted as a false- 
hood, is a very trifling objection to the Bible. 

From these facts we learn that the progress of 
additions to scientific knowledge is onward 
through the ages. But the progress of a general 
understanding of scientific truth resembles a 
rising tide on the shore of an ocean. The waves 
advance and recede and again advance, and every 
fresh wave brings higher water. Just so a re- 
view of the history of a general diffusion of as- 
tronomical knowledge reveals the fact that we in 



100 CREATIOX. 

our day, aided by the improved telescopes and 
spectroscopes of modern times, possess more as- 
tronomical knowledge than ever was enjoyed be- 
fore in any age of the world's history. 

We may trust a natural interpretation of the 
Scriptures, because the Bible and nature are 
words and works of the same divine author, and 
there can be no contradiction in their teaching. 
And when we interpret the Bible naturally, all 
of its statements are of such a character that we 
can accept the facts stated by an intelligent and 
devoted faith. If we should feel inclined to doubt 
the statements that are found in the first chapters 
of Genesis, we may dismiss our doubts, and rest 
assured that they all are in harmony with the 
natural sciences which are taught in our schools 
and colleges — sciences that have been demonstra- 
ted and proved to be true. We are sure that our 
Heavenly Father made the world, and that we 
ourselves are his workmanship. Let us endeavor 
to realize the precious relation that we sustain to 
the Lord as creatures bearing his image. A hu- 
man spirit is the grandest work which God has 
made. He has given not only an earthly body 
but also a spiritual nature; that when your earthly 
life is over, in your spiritual body you may live 
with your Creator, your Savior and the angels 
forever, in the enjoyment of a glorious life in the 



CREATION. 101 

heavenly world. I John iii. 3, we read, "Every- 
man that hath this hope in him purifyeth himself, 
even as he is pure." God has sent his Son into 
the world, to be our righteousness and our life 
according to spiritual laws; and let us remember 
that without "holiness" and spirituality, no man 
shall see the divine Creator, who through the 
agency of natural laws, made the heaven and 
the earth. 



THE WHITE STONE. 

Rev. ii.17. To him that overcometh will I give 
to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him 
a white stone, and in the stone a new name writ- 
ten, which no man knoweth saving he that re- 
ceiveth it." 

Our Heavenly Father who formed the world, 
made the pearls and precious stones. He brought 
together the atoms of the yellow topaz, the green 
beryl, the violet amethyst and the transparent 
jacinth. All these precious gems are mentioned 
in the Scriptures. 

It is a serious mistake to say that the Bible is 
an unnatural and unscientific book. Nature's 
laws are God's laws. Natural sciences are ex- 
positions of his natural laws. The Bible is God's 
book; and the relation that exists between your 
natural body and mind and your spiritual nature, 
is so intimate that natural sciences may aid in 
conveying to your spiritual mind divine life and 
light. Rom. x. 17, the apostle Paul says that 
"faith comes by hearing." Therefore, there must 
be convincing science in the Scriptures; and there 



104 THE WHITE STONE. 

can be no opposition between the teaching of 
nature and the teaching of the Bible when both 
are correctly interpreted. Nature is an excellent 
teacher of divine truth. David tells us that "the 
heavens declare the glory of God;" and Paul 
says that invisible things are understood through 
the things "that are made." And Jesus himself 
taught spiritual truths from natural laws and 
phenomena — from barren trees, farmers, house- 
keepers, bakers, coins, laborers, weddings, deal- 
ers in pearls, the wind, a red sky and blooming 
flowers. 

The "white stone" spoken of in the text, evi- 
dently represents the assurance of our future life 
and happiness that is found in that ability to hold 
communion with the heavenly world, which a 
spiritually developed Christian enjoys. This in- 
terpretation of the text may be new to some of 
us. Nevertheless it is a happy experience that 
we all may enjoy, as part of the "earnest" of our 
heavenly inheritance; that is, the earnest or part 
that we may enjoy before we go to dwell in the 
"mansions" above. As we become familiar with 
heaven, we entertain less doubt with regard to its 
realities. Therefore, we should become better 
acquainted with our eternal home, and more fa- 
miliar with ethereal and heavenly experience. 

A worldly life places a veil between ourselves 



THE WHITE STONE. 105 

and heaven. The unrestrained passions of the 
material body in which we dwell, obscures our 
view of the spiritual world. They prevent our 
approach to the table of the Lord upon which 
is the "hidden manna" prepared for our use. The 
controlling influence of your material body and 
its worldly mind may blunt your spiritual con- 
sciousness, so as to prevent a discernment of the 
language that is used in spiritual communications 
between heaven and earth — even rendering it an 
unknown dialect. In view of this state of things 
in our experience, how precious is the language 
of the text — especially the promise which is found 
in the figure of a "white stone." That promise 
assures us that we may overcome all difficulties, 
and that having overcome them we shall enter 
into the enjoyment of a full assurance of know- 
ledge and experience, which an understandings 
of the inscription that is written or engraved upon 
the stone will impart; that is, an assurance which 
is gained from heavenly communion — an assur- 
ance that will support our faith, establish our 
hope and enable us to rejoice with "joy unspeak- 
able and full of glory." 

The inscription that is written upon the white 
stone, is a key to the interpretation of the im- 
pressional spiritual language, which, if we over- 
come the difficulties that are spoken of in our 



106 THE WHITE STONE. 

Savior's promise, is a language that we all may 
comprehend and use in our intercourse with the 
heavenly world. And because these spiritual op- 
portunities result from ardent love of that which 
is pure and good, and from an agreement or 
harmony that exists between our divine Redeemer 
in heaven and a Christian soul on earth, there is 
a mutual individuality in the character of the im- 
pressions received in answer to prayer, that can 
be understood only by ourselves individually. 
This individuality is the inscription which Jesus 
says is "written" in the white stone. It is the 
name or writing that "no man knoweth saving 
he that receiveth it." 

The enjoyment of these Christian privileges is 
a constant condition for every one who loves the 
Lord, whose spiritual nature has been developed 
by familiarity with spiritual things — by Christian 
experience, continuous walking in communion 
with God, and by living a conscientious and faith- 
ful life. It is a constant experience for all who 
overcome the difficulties, and thus persistently re- 
move the obscuring veil which their own earthly 
possessions and habits place between themselves 
and heaven. The apostle Paul made an effort to 
overcome these obstacles and was victorious. The 
windows of Paradise were opened wide to him; 
and 2 Cor. xii.2-4, he says that he was "caught 



THE WHITE STONE. 107 

up to the third heaven * * * and heard un- 
speakable words (mark that! — he heard unspeak- 
able words — impressional words) which it is im- 
possible for a man to utter." And in the language 
that follows, he also declares that he was con- 
scious of a distinction between his spiritual body 
and his earthly body. And he plainly teaches 
that by his spiritual senses he heard such lan- 
guage, which was spoken in the heavenly world 
— impressions which are felt and understood only 
by those who have spiritual experience, and who 
are free from the controlling influences of a sin- 
ful life. The fact that an unholy and worldly life 
interferes with spiritual communion, we learn also 
from other Scriptural statements. Matt. vi. 24, 
Jesus says, "You cannot serve two masters" — 
you cannot serve God and mammon. And 1 
Cor. x.21, Paul tells you plainly, that "y° u cannot 
be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table 
of demons." 

All the activities and interests of the heavenly 
world are spiritual. Activities and interests of the 
material world are earthly. This distinctiveness is 
an intervening veil, through which impressional 
words and tangible views are possible only to a 
limited extent. And it is well that it is so, be- 
cause greater freedom of communication between 
the ethereal and material worlds, would be used 



108 THE WHITE STONE. 

only to gratify curiosity. When we are disposed 
to fret over the fact that during earthly life our 
communion with the spiritual world is not full 
and free, we should remember that the arrange- 
ment proceeds from the divine wisdom and good- 
ness of our Creator. 

But we rejoice to know that not only in the 
present day, but in every age of the world's 
history, spiritually minded persons have been per- 
mitted to see and hear through the veil, with 
clearness that fully accomplishes the purposes for 
which such communications are permitted; that 
is, it gives an assurance of the reality of the 
heavenly life, and of the security and happiness 
of our friends who have gone on before us, to 
enter upon the enjoyment of life in the spiritual 
world. 

In the New Testament, there are records of 
many precious seasons of spiritual communion 
enjoyed by Christians on earth. Luke ix. 30, we 
are told that at the scene of the transfiguration, 
Peter, John and James experienced an exalta- 
tion of their spiritual sight; and on the mountain 
they saw "two men, which were Moses and Elias: 
who appeared in glory," and spoke of the de- 
cease that Jesus should accomplish at Jerusa- 
lem. Acts vii. 55, we are told that Stephen ex- 
perienced a like exaltation of his sight, and that 



THE WHITE STONE. 109 

being filled with spirituality, he "looked stead- 
fastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and 
Jesus ;" that is, he saw the spiritual body of Jesus 
in heaven. While Jesus was on earth, he looked 
into the world of spirits both good and bad as 
through an open door. And when his disciples 
brought him word of their success in casting out 
demons, he said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall 
from heaven;" that is, he saw the demons or 
dying evil spirits of departed wicked persons 
when the apostles cast them out, as plainly as we 
can see a flash of lightning. 

It is not difficult to distinguish Christian com- 
munion with heaven, from tricks of persons who 
call themselves spirit mediums; and yet by such 
tricks many good persons have been led astray. 
Spiritual persons need not be deceived by tricks 
of bad people, nor by the influence of departed 
spirits of wicked people, who in the Scriptures are 
called demons, i John iv. I, the apostle tells 
you that if you resist such demons, they will "flee 
from you." And we are quite sur£ that no pro- 
fessional earthly medium is required to secure 
for us the sacred privilege of spiritual communion 
with heaven. Such a thought is displeasing to 
our Heavenly Father. In every age people have 
placed such idols between themselves and God; 



110 THE WHITE STONE. 

and to those idols they have looked instead of 
looking to God himself. 

On the natural side of our being, we may enjoy 
an experience which is analogous to Christian 
spiritual communion. It is called "mind read- 
ing." And we find that with regard to the reality 
of this faculty, it requires as much care in order 
to escape deception, as it does to discover de- 
ception with respect to spirit communion. Con- 
cerning exhibitions that are given by persons 
claiming to be mind readers, there is misappre- 
hension even amongst educated and thoughtful 
people. The prevailing opinion is that such en- 
tertainments consist entirely of deceptive tricks. 
But a careful investigation shows that there are 
different kinds of mind reading exhibitions. 

The least interesting of these consist entirely 
of deception. The operator pretends to hypnotize 
a -person — usually a woman — who afterward is 
blindfolded. Then he goes amongst the audience 
and requests to be shown a silver or copper coin. 
He notices the date upon it, and by the use of 
certain words or sounds agreed upon between 
himself and the blindfolded woman on the stage 
he makes the date known to her, and she an- 
nounces it to the audience. 

In entertainments of another and better class, 
the hypnotized lady possesses genuine mind read- 



THE WHITE STONE. Ill 

ing power, but it is not fully developed. She is 
able to read the thoughts of the operator who 
placed her under hypnotic influence, but is unable 
to discover thoughts in the minds of other per- 
sons. 

Exhibitions of the most scientific and won- 
derful character, are those in which by much 
practice, the mind reading capacity of the hypno- 
tized subject has been developed to such an ex- 
tent, that she is able to read not only the thoughts 
of the operator, but under favorable conditions 
also the thoughts of other people. In these ex- 
periments, when a person in the audience writes a 
question, the possibility of obtaining notice de- 
pends upon the writer of the question. Replies 
are possible, only when to some extent the mind 
of the investigator is in sympathy with the hypno- 
tized subject. In order to develop such relations 
between a mind reader and a number of persons 
in her audience, the operator seeks to excite sym- 
pathy and magnetic conditions between himself 
and others; that by virtue of his influence upon 
them and upon the hypnotized subject, he may 
help her to gain a vision of their thoughts. The 
reality of the faculty of mind reading displayed 
in such exhibitions, is admitted by learned scien- 
tists. Prof. Lodge, president of the mathema- 
tical section of the "British association for the 



112 THE WHITE STONE. 

promotion of science," speaking of hypnotism, 
says he is "fully convinced that the mind of one 
person can speak to the mind of another, by 
other means than those usually recognized." In 
other words, he is satisfied that mind reading is 
an established fact. 

Such mental power gives an opportunity to 
beget in the minds of credulous people, confi- 
dence in the mind reader's ability to see and re- 
veal future events. That is something which a 
hypnotized person cannot do. Knowledge of fu- 
ture events in the history of a human being, our 
Creator has reserved to himself and to messen- 
gers whom he sends upon special missions such 
as mind readers do not claim for themselves. 

We should remember that truth and falsehood 
are neighbors. And often the boundary line be- 
tween them is hard to discover. Hence to a cer- 
tain extent it is easy to deceive an inexperienced 
and less thoughtful person. Honest mind read- 
ers sometimes describe future events in the lives 
of persons who ask for them. The future events 
which they mention, exist in the minds of those 
who make the request; and are seen as their 
thoughts of the past and the present are seen. 
But with reference to the future, the mind which 
is read knows nothing at all; and consequently 
its visions are uncertain and generally they are 



THE WHITE STONE. 1 1 3> 

false. In the Bible we find records of similar 
deceptions. It was in this way that the disobedi- 
ent King Saul was deceived by the Witch of 
Endor, the woman who had a "familiar spirit." 
In his troubled mind she saw the dead Samuel ; 
and she described him so perfectly that Saul be- 
lieved she had brought the prophet up from the 
dead. And in SauPs mind she also read the 
prophetic forebodings of disaster, which he knew 
Samuel would utter if he was present. To edu- 
cated and thoughtful people in scientific investi- 
gations exhibitions of hypnotism are useful; but 
they are dangerous to those who are inclined to 
be credulous or dishonest. From the unreliable 
experience of Saul, we gladly return to the com- 
munion which Christians may enjoy with the 
heavenly world, and to the abounding proofs and 
assurances upon which it rests. 

It certainly is a Christian's privilege to enjoy 
communion with God, with our Savior and with 
heaven; and it is our privilege to enjoy that 
pleasure constantly. But we find that our ex- 
perience does not at all times nor in all places 
afford the same assurance. There are times of 
spiritual supremacy. There are pleasant places 
and quiet, precious moments, when spiritual 
communion may be more fully interpreted and 
enjoyed, than at other times. 



114 THE WHITE STONE. 

Our Savior's language contains a grand les- 
son, in the fact that the gift promised is a "white 
stone." It is not a ruby that reflects only the 
slowly vibrating waves of red light. White light 
consists of all colors — red, orange, yellow,, green, 
blue, indigo and violet. A transparent white 
stone does not transmit some of these colors and 
reflect others. It transmits all the colors of light. 
What a beautiful figure of spiritual character. 
Jesus says, that a soul thus consecrated to divine 
life may read the inscription — an inscription that 
is known only to the person who receives the 
precious gift which he has promised. It is a 
glorious privilege to be a spiritual Christian — and 
to be daily more and more conformed to the 
image of God. 

The transparent jacinth and violet amethyst are 
figures of the higher attainments of spiritual 
life; that is, they are figures of heavenly char- 
acter. The clear sky above us is blue. And 
some persons may wish to know the cause of 
the blue or violet color. It is answered, that 
violet may be the color of ether in interplanetary 
space. The existence of ether is taught in all 
scientific schools and colleges. Violet is a color 
the deeper shades of which extend beyond the 
range of our natural sight. Perfect violet color 
appertains to the spiritual world, and may be 



THE WHITE STONE. 115 

seen in its beauty only by the more rapid vibra- 
tions that are used in spiritual sight. And hence 
in the Bible, transparency and violet color are 
used to indicate the higher attainments of spiritu- 
ality, which you may enjoy if you overcome the 
difficulties spoken of in our text — for to "him that 
overcometh," Jesus has promised the "white 
stone." 

In the graphic description of the heavenly city 
that is given Rev. xxi. 19-20, we read, "And the 
foundations of the wall of the city were garnished 
with all manner of precious stones. The first 
foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the 
third, chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the 
fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, sardins; the seventh, 
chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; 
the tenth, chrysoprasis ; the eleventh, a jacinth; 
the twelfth, an amethyst. The foundation of the 
heavenly Jerusalem is a glorious figure of spirit- 
ual life. Notice, that the transparent jacinth and 
the violet amethyst are uppermost in the celestial 
structure. 

Be reminded that every day you must build 
upon this enduring foundation, or you are placing 
the foundations of your life upon the sand. Daily 
each one of us should ask ourselves the question, 
"how many layers of the spiritual foundation are 
completed in the character of my life?" If we 



116 THE WHITE STONE. 

are building upon the uppermost gems of spirit- 
uality — upon the lovely green beryl and violet 
amethyst, we have overcome the obstacles that a 
worldly life places in the way of an understand- 
ing of the name — the blessed name written upon 
the heavenly gift spoken of in the text. Happy 
indeed is the soul who has experienced a fulfil- 
ment of this precious promise. Oh ! that we all 
may hear the Savior's voice today, as through 
this beautiful text he is saying to us, "Come away 
from a worldly life — come up higher." 

Perhaps some one would like to ask the ques- 
tion, "Is there really such a heavenly city as that 
which is described in the closing chapters of the 
Bible?" The answer is, yes! In both the material 
and ethereal worlds there are dwellings. Each 
building in the heavenly world consists of ether- 
eal atoms, as each building on earth consists of 
material atoms. Heaven is a spiritual condition 
and also a place. The beautiful language used 
in describing the heavenly city is figurative; but 
it teaches that the heavenly Jerusalem is a real 
existence. The reality of such organizations of 
ethereal atoms is clearly taught by the analogies 
of the material world. For example, wh:n a ray 
of light is passed through a plain piece of trans- 
parent glass, no organization of atoms can be 
discovered in any part of the glass. But if pres- 



THE WHITE STONE. 117 

sure is applied to the surface of the glass, the 
strain gives rise to an unseen organization of 
both the ethereal and material atoms around the 
point of pressure. It is a well denned figure, 
that is visible when viewed in polarized light. 
And polarized light may cause even material sub- 
stances to glow with ethereal colors, that can be 
described only by language as grand as that used 
by the inspired writers, when speaking of the 
ethereal gates and streets of the heavenly city; 
and as beautiful as the language used in describ- 
ing the real spiritual body of Jesus, as he was 
seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, and as 
afterward in heaven he was seen by John, the be- 
loved disciple. 

Spiritual bodies consist of ethereal atoms. 
Earthly bodies are made of atoms of ponderable 
matter. But there are evidences which show, that 
to a limited extent atoms of attenuated ponder- 
able matter may be retained amongst the ethereal 
atoms that constitute the body of a spirit, and 
become subject to their control; and that in like 
manner sometimes ethereal atoms may be re- 
tained amongst the ponderable atoms of a ma- 
terial body. This explains how earthly beings 
are enabled to see spiritual objects. By the exer- 
cise of human will and by divine influences, the 
proportion of ethereal and material atoms in the 



118 THE WHITE STONE. 

constitution of a body may be varied. And ma- 
terial atoms when they are present in a spiritual 
body, make tangible to our natural senses the 
phenomena which sometimes spirits exhibit. 
These natural facts explain how spirits become 
visible, even to persons whose faculty of spiritual 
sight is not fully developed. And it explains how 
it was possible for the spiritual body of Elijah and 
the spiritual body of our Savior to visibly ascend 
from the earth; and how the spiritual body of 
Jesus before his ascension became visible or in- 
visible to the disciples. The spiritual form of 
Jesus was rendered visible to their natural eyes, 
by an increase of the number of material atoms 
that were at that time present in his spiritual 
body. 

There are some Christian people who wish that 
they could have more faith in the reality of com- 
munion with the heavenly world. Your faith 
may be weak, but perhaps you have more confi- 
dence in your ability to hold Christian com- 
munion with heaven, than you give yourself 
credit for. Every day when you pray and offer 
thanks, you feel our Heavenly Father's presence, 
the presence of our loving Savior, and the ac- 
ceptance of your offerings. In every act of your 
private and public worship, you show that you 
do believe there is intercourse between the two 



THE WHITE STONE. H& 

worlds. And moreover, often closing your eyes 
to the scenes of earth you sing the precious 
words — 

'The zephyrs seem to float to me, 
Sweet sounds of heaven's melody, 

Beulah land 

As on thy highest mount I stand, 

1 look away across the sea, 
Where mansions are prepared for me; 
And view the glory shining shore, ^ 
My heaven, my home forevermore. 

Eternal enjoyment of the heavenly world is the 
chief purpose for which life is given to mankind. 
And the Bible assures you that communion with 
heaven is a privilege which you may enjoy while 
yet you are in this world, if you live a pure and 
spiritual life. If you are not enjoying these bless- 
ings, today you may start anew in your efforts 
to realize the higher privileges of Christian spirit- 
uality. And in your happy experience, Jesus 
surely will fulfil the precious promise which is 
found in the text— "To him that overcome* will 
I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give 
him a white stone, and in the stone a new name 
written, which no man knoweth saving he that 
receiveth it." 







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